News on the topic: political prisoners
04.05.2015 Political prisoner Mikalai Statkevich to be kept in prison for the rest of his term
The aim of the trial is toughening the prison regime for Mr. Statkevich by transferring him to a cell-type prison facility. The alleged reason for the trial are numerous violations of the internal regulations of the penal colony No. 17 in The Škloŭ by him and his refusal to obey the demands of the colony administration.
04.05.2015 Department of Corrections fails to find any facts of biased attitude to Mikalai Statkevich
Department of Corrections of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Belarus responded to the appeal sent by the educational institution "Center for Legal Transformation" and the Human Rights Center "Viasna" regarding the biased attitude to the political prisoner Mikalai Statkevich on the part of the administration of the penal colony No. 17 in Škloŭ.
30.04.2015 Mahilioŭ Regional Court turns down appeal by political prisoner Mikalai Dziadok
The Mahilioŭ Regional Court considered today an appeal by political prisoner Mikalai Dziadok, whose initial sentence by the court of Mahilioŭ’s Lieninski District Court was extended on February 26 by one year and three days. The prisoner was charged with 16 violations of prison rules, the main of which was wearing a tracksuit instead of prison uniform.
29.04.2015 UCP urges to release and rehabilitate all political prisoners
On April 28, the Political Council of the United Civil Party adopted a statement which called on the Belarusian authorities to release and rehabilitate all political prisoners.
28.04.2015 Mikalai Statkevich to stand trial in prison on May 4
The trial of political prisoner Mikalai Statkevich, who is currently held in a penal colony in Škloŭ, will start on May 4, according to a post on his wife’s account on Facebook. The former presidential candidate may be transferred to prison with maximum security.
23.04.2015 Political prisoner Yury Rubtsou receives investigation materials
According to information received by the Human Rights Center "Viasna", political prisoner Yury Rubtsou has been allowed to read the materials of the case brought against him under Article 415 of the Criminal Code - "evasion from serving punishment of restraint of liberty”. He faces four episodes of “evasion”.
19.04.2015 Political prisoner Artsiom Prakapenka denied pardon
On April 17, political prisoner Artsiom Prakapenka phoned his family from the Mahilioŭ prison and said that he had been shown a response from the commission for pardon that rejected his request without explanation. Artsiom Prakapenka says he was not allowed to have a copy of the document.
18.04.2015 Political prisoner Yauhen Vaskovich not allowed to receive books
On April 17, political prisoner Yauhen Vaskovich was visited by his mother, father and grandmother. They brought him food stuffs and hygiene products, as well as a Belarusian translation of the Bible. Earlier, the prisoner was punished with solitary confinement for refusing to give the Bible to prison staff.
17.04.2015 Political prisoner Artsiom Prakapenka may be pardoned
According to the political prisoner’s father Anatol Prakapenka, his son, Artsiom Prakapenka, may be released in the near future after he sent a petition for clemency to the President back in February. Earlier, President Lukashenka publicly promised to release political prisoners in case they sought pardon. However, Artsiom Prakapenka is still in prison.
17.04.2015 Human rights activists urge members of intergovernmental organizations to visit Mikalai Statkevich
On April 17, the Legal Transformation Center and the Human Rights Center "Viasna" passed an urgent appeal to Mrs. Maira Mora, head of the European Union’s mission in Belarus, in connection with an increased pressure against political prisoner Mikalai Statkevich.
16.04.2015 ENEMO Calls Azerbaijan for Immediate Release of Anar Mammadli
The European Network of Election Monitoring Organizations (ENEMO) once again calls Azerbaijan Government for immediate release of Anar Mammadli of Election Monitoring and Democracy Studies Centre (EMDS). EMDS chairman Anar Mammadli was imprisoned by the Court of Serious Crimes for 5.5 years respectively following the Azerbaijan presidential elections of October, 2013 when critical reports were published on the electoral process by Anar Mammadli and his colleagues.
15.04.2015 Ales Bialiatski meets Johannes Hahn ahead of his visit to Minsk
In the morning of April 15 in Brussels, the head of the HRC "Viasna" and FIDH Vice-President Ales Bialiatski met with European Commissioner for Enlargement and Neighbourhood Policy Johannes Hahn.
15.04.2015 Maryna Adamovich: EU politicians have been repeating the same mistake for 20 years
The Belarusian authorities increase pressure on political prisoners while holding a dialogue with the EU.
15.04.2015 The undying 'last' dictatorships of Europe
My name is Ales Bialiatski. If it had not been for the relentless mobilisation of the international community, the European Union in particular, I would be writing these words behind the bars of the Bobruisk high-security penal colony in south-eastern Belarus.
14.04.2015 Mikalai Statkevich to stand another trial
“The administration of the correctional colony has decided that he “hasn't mended his ways” and “intends to pursue a criminal lifestyle”, therefore his further detention in this highly moral institution is impossible,” wrote the prisoner's wife Maryna Adamovich at her Facebook account.
