News on the topic: amnesty
28.05.2008 Amnesty International Report 2008, state of the world human rights (Belarus' section)
The clampdown on civil society by the government continued. Any form of public activity not sanctioned by the state, including religious worship, was liable to prosecution and rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly were disregarded. Opposition activists were given long prison sentences for the peaceful expression of their views, or activists were harassed and prosecuted under the administrative code for lesser offences and fined or detained for short periods. Human rights and opposition organizations faced considerable difficulties in registering and activists were prosecuted for acting in the name of unregistered organizations. Belarus remained the only country in Europe still executing prisoners.
04.04.2008 Amnesty International: Demonstrators beaten during Freedom Day march
Amnesty International condemns the reportedly excessive use of force by Belarusian security forces against demonstrators who had gathered in the capital, Minsk, on 25 March 2008. Up to two thousand people had gathered in a square in the centre of the city to mark the ninetieth anniversary of the short-lived independence of Belarus in 1918, which is now referred to by the political opposition as Freedom Day. The authorities had not sanctioned the demonstration and President Alexander Lukashenka’s government had vowed to prevent any public action to mark the occasion.
12.03.2008 Faces for Amnesty – Freedom for Prisoners of Conscience In Belarus!
The German branch of the international human rights organization Amnesty International decided to hold an action for release of the political prisoner Aliaksandr Kazulin. Here’s the text of the press-release concerning the action.
14.01.2008 2 Months after Amnesty: Only 250 Prisoners Released
Almost two months have passed since the Belarusian authorities declared the latest amnesty. According to the MIA calculations, 3 512 persons fell under the action of the amnesty. The basic condition for dismissal from prison was compensation of the financial damage to victims or the state by 24 April. However, according to the chair of the punishment execution department Yury Barynkou only 250 of them have been released so far, mostly those who have compensated the damage.
25.06.2007 Amnesty Postponed to Later Date
The President’s Office has some misunderstanding about exact definition of certain categories of citizens who may be amnestied
