News on the topic: human rights defenders
14.02.2011 Final HRD Monitoring Report on Presidential Election in Belarus
“Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections” campaign presents its final monitoring report on the 2010 presidential election in Belarus. The report gives the campaign's overall conclusions on the election, provides comprehensive analysis of the voting and counting stages and includes recommendations on how the election process could be brought in line with international standards.
03.02.2011 The Council under the President of the Russian Federation for the Promotion of Civil Society and Human Rights made a statement about the situation in Belarus
February 1, 2011 President's Council of the Russian Federation for the Promotion of Civil Society and Human Rights made a statement about the situation in Belarus. In this statement, the members of the Presidential Council condemned human rights violations that were committed during and after December 19.
27.01.2011 Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders urges Belarusian authorities to refrain from harassing human rights defenders
The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), has received new information and requests your urgent intervention in the following situation in Belarus.
27.01.2011 HR defender Stefanovich invited for conversation to KGB
Today, human rights defender Valiantsin Stefanovich was invited for a conversation to KGB Minsk office. The activist refused the meeting, since there was no summons.
25.01.2011 Martin Uggla: “We should demand the release of political prisoners now, but that is not enough…”
Martin Uugla, chair of the Östgruppen Swedish Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights, was not allowed to enter Belarus during the recent political campaign of 2010. In his interview, Mr. Martin Uugla speaks on the current situation in Belarus and evaluates the working conditions of Belarusian human rights defenders.
24.01.2011 U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State meets Viasna activists
Today Thomas Melia, U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, had a meeting with the activists of the Human Rights Center “Viasna”. The meeting dealt with the recent wave of harassment against the families of detainees, currently in custody in the KGB prison.
24.01.2011 KGB search flat of Mazyr civil activist Tseliapun
On 21 January, Mazyr KGB searched the private apartment of local human rights activist Uladzimir Tseliapun. The KGB officers reportedly seized a personal computer and a number of DVDs.
20.01.2011 HR activist Paluda questioned by KGB
On 19 January, human rights defender Andrei Paluda was summoned to the KGB Shklou district department. The secret service officers inquired about the activist’s possible involvement in illegal street rallies and his relations with Viasna’s chair Ales Bialiatski.
20.01.2011 Evaluation of Events Related to the Presidential Election: Position of the Human Rights Center "Viasna"
The Human Rights Centre "Viasna", as one of the participants of the national monitoring mission “Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections”, cannot but mention some improvements at separate stages of the campaign, but in general, believes the 2010 presidential election fell short of a number of key international standards for democratic elections. The Election of the President of the Republic of Belarus has neither been recognized as free nor democratic by the OSCE / ODIHR international election observation mission. Since 1996, no Belarusian election campaigns, including presidential ones of 2001 and 2006, have been recognized by OSCE as compliant with international standards for free and democratic elections.
19.01.2011 KGB raid Human Rights Center office
Today, on 19 January, Minsk KGB officers searched the office of the “Human Rights Center” and later the private apartment of the organization’s leader Ms. Raisa Mikhailouskaya.
19.01.2011 URGENT APPEAL – THE OBSERVATORY
The Observatory urges the authorities of Belarus to put an end to all forms of harassment against the above-mentioned organisations and their members, in particular Mr. Ales Bialiatski and ensure that in all circumstances its members are able to carry out their work freely without any hindrances.
18.01.2011 Viasna’s office raided again
Yesterday, on 17 January Belarusian KGB searched the central office of the Human Rights Center Viasna, as well as the private apartment and the country house of Ales Bialiatski. The searches were said to be conducted in the framework of the 19 December mass riot criminal case. It was a second search in Viasna’s office, following another one on 20 December.
12.01.2011 Human rights defender Anatol Paplauny summonsed to KGB for interrogation
On 12 December morning a human rights activist from Homel Anatol Paplauny has been summoned to the KGB administration for an interrogation.
05.01.2011 Hrodna: human rights defender Uladzimir Khilmanovich is summoned to KGB again
The Hrodna human rights defender Uladzimir Khilmanovich was sumoned to the local KGB office by investigator Hrynkevich. The investigator said that this time Mr. Khilmanovich is summoned for interrogation in connection with the events of 19 December in Minsk. However, the human rights defender had been already questioned on this matter on 28 December.
04.01.2011 Search at human rights defender Nasta Loika’s apartment
At about 12.40 a.m. Nasta’s mother called to her and said that unknown police or KGB officers tried to burst into their apartment to hold a search there. Nasta asked the neighbors to tell them not to break the apartment door till her arrival. Then she came to the house in the company of the human rights defenders Ales Bialiatski, Aleh Hulak and a representative of the Committee of International Control over the situation of human rights in Belarus.
