The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

If challenging times are coming to Russia now, it is the time to pay attention to it, to support civil society groups and activists of Russia, to come together and to prove that the international civil society is alive and common values are more important for it than the borders between our countries.

Nowadays Russian and international civil society face a great challenge. Russian civil society needs our help and international solidarity!

The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), which has repeatedly supported Belarusian human rights defenders through the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, is urging us today to support Nabeel Rajab, our colleague from Bahrain, imprisoned for calls in defense of the right to peaceful assembly.

Journalists of Radio “Racyja” voiced their support to Belarusian political prisoners on the Universal Human Rights Day, 10 December.

A solidarity action with political prisoners was held for 24 hours in Warsaw on 8 December. All volunteers were given an opportunity to write letters in their support.

The Civil Solidarity Platform condemns the confiscation, on 26 November, of the office of its member in Belarus, the Human Rights Centre Viasna (Spring).

Members of the New-York and Moscow offices of the organization passed photos with birthday greetings for Ales Bialiatski.

We wish Ales a quick release and restoration of justice. We respect Ales, admire him and value his work. We wish him a strong health, patience and spiritual strength.

The Office of the European MP Marek Migalski sent greetings to Ales Bialiatski on 24 September, the day when a conference on Belarus was held in Warsaw:

Next week members and partners of the Human Rights House Network representing 100 human rights organizations will meet in Zagreb in Croatia. There will be a vacant chair at all our events. That chair is yours, Ales, and we keep it visible to all where you rightfully should have been today - and as a reminder that you are locked up in prison because of your longstanding, courageous and legitimate human rights work.