The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

Minsk – 25 January 2012 The Human Rights Center “Viasna” strongly condemns the use of torture, intimidation, blackmail and other intolerable kinds of harassment against prisoners of conscience. Of especial concern is the recent report by Mrs. Iryna Khalip, the wife of former presidential candidate Andrei Sannikau, saying that the prisoner’s life is at risk due to the reported use of torture and inhuman treatment against him.

VITSEBSK, Belarus -- Medical personnel have begun forcibly feeding a jailed political activist on hunger strike in eastern Belarus, RFE/RL's Belarus Service reports.

Ales Bialiatski was given 10 minutes to pay last tribute to his father in a morgue in Minsk this morning.

Every authority possible has been involved to obtain permission for imprisoned Viasna leader Ales Bialiatski to attend the funeral of his father, who died on 24 December, says the human rights defender's wife Natallia, following her today's appeals submitted to the Prosecutor General's Office and the Interior Ministry.

The father of imprisoned Viasna leader Ales Bialiatski Viktar Bialiatski, 82, has died of lung cancer this morning. Thus, Ales Bialiatski has not managed to see his dying father after the human rights defender's wife and associates were repeatedly denied the right with reference to procedural flaws and legal requirements.