News on the topic: political prisoners
20.05.2015 Political prisoner Yury Rubtsou to stand trial on May 27
The trial of a political prisoner Yury Rubtsou will be held on 27 May in the court of the Pružany district. The criminal charges under Article 415 of the Criminal Code (“evasion of serving punishment of restraint of liberty”) will be heard by Judge Mikalai Repikha. The political prisoner faces up to three years of imprisonment.
18.05.2015 Mikalai Statkevich: "I do not aspire to be a hero, but I want to be a decent man”
On May 16, Bialyničy journalist Barys Vyrvich received a letter from political prisoner Mikalai Statkevich who is held in the Mahilioŭ-based prison No. 4. In his letter, the former presidential candidate told about the conditions of his detention at the new place of imprisonment.
18.05.2015 Sign the petition: Freedom for political prisoners in Belarus!
The Belarusian Human Rights Center Viasna, the Swiss-German association Libereco – Partnership for Human Rights and the independent watchdog organization Freedom House have launched a joint online petition to demand the release of all political prisoners from Belarusian president Lukashenka.
15.05.2015 Biaroza human rights activists intend to hold a picket demanding release of political prisoners
Biaroza human rights activists have filed an application for a picket on June 28 at the officially designated site, the city stadium, near the entrance from Lenin Street.
14.05.2015 Mikalai Statkevich’s wife received first letter from Mahilyou prison
Maryna Adamovich, the wife of the political prisoner and a former candidate for presidency, has received the first letter from Mahilioŭ prison №4.
14.05.2015 Lawyer Pavel Sapelka: State has replaced the system of parole with giveaway amnesties
May 13 The House of Representatives of the National Assembly adopted in the first and second reading a bill on amnesty in connection with the 70th anniversary of the Victory. According to the Minister of Internal Affairs Ihar Shunevich if the amnesty law comes into force, it will concern some 8,600 convicts, 2.2 thousand which will be released from prison. Will there be political prisoners among them?
13.05.2015 Yury Rubtsou continues hunger strike and prepares for trial
Despite all persuasions of medics, Yury Rubtsou continues hungering at Baranavičy remand prison.
13.05.2015 Mikalai Dziadok to serve another year in Horki colony
HRC “Viasna” has learned about the new place of imprisonment of political prisoner Mikalai Dziadok, who had been sentenced to another year in prison on February 26 for alleged willful disobedience to the prison administration.
13.05.2015 Belarus: MEPs launch initiative to defend human rights
May 12, 2015 ALDE Group Vice-President, Petras AUŠTREVIČIUS (Liberal’s Movement of Lithuania) co-hosted in the European Parliament, a meeting with the relatives of six Belarusian political prisoners who came to share their experiences and talk about the human rights situation under Alexander Lukashenko’s regime.
09.05.2015 Ihar Alinevich placed in penal cell for May Day
April 22, political prisoner Ihar Alinevich has been again placed in a penal cell. Human Rights Center “Viasna” learned it from his mother, Valiantsina Alinevich, whom he had phoned on May 3.
08.05.2015 Will amnesty concern political prisoners?
President of Belarus Aliaksandr Lukashenka has passed to the House of Representatives the draft law "On amnesty in connection with the 70th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945". Will this amnesty concern Belarusian political prisoners?
07.05.2015 Baranavičy: prison guards refuse to pass newspapers to political prisoner Yury Rubtsou
Baranavičy civil society activists Siarhei Housha and Viktar Syrytsa have paid a visit to remand prison No. 6 in Bresckaja Street, 258 in Baranavičy and passed a parcel for the political prisoner Yury Rubtsou.
06.05.2015 Yury Rubtsou: "I am going to declare a dry hunger-strike in the case of a closed trial"
The political prisoner Yury Rubtsou has sent a letter to the Human Rights Center "Viasna". In it, he writes that he is still keeping a hunger strike and is not going to stop. In such a way Mr. Rubtsou protests against the instigation of a criminal case under Article 415 of the Penal Code against him, which he considers fraudulent.
06.05.2015 Pavel Sapelka complains about restriction of his right to attend open court hearing
May 4, the issue of changing the regime of deprivation of liberty for Mikalai Statkevich was considered at an exit trial in Škloŭ penal colony №17. The police didn't let in a representative of the European Union, human rights activists and journalists.
06.05.2015 Ales Bialiatski: Deteriorating of conditions for political prisoners is closely connected with the pre-election situation in the country
The alleged reason to change the prison regime and transfer the political prisoner Mikalai Statkevich to a cell-type prison is numerous violations of internal regulations of Škloŭ penal colony №17, where he was serving his sentence, and disobedience to the requirements of the colony.
