12.08.2019 Analytical weekly report on the results of observation: August 5-10
Elections of deputies of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus of the seventh convocation
09.08.2019 Picks of the week
Observers welcome minor improvements ahead of parliamentary elections; political prisoner Mikhail Zhamchuzhny reports fragile health in prison; death row prisoner Viktar Paulau sees family for first time since trial
09.08.2019 “Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections” launch independent observation
The political background has not changed since last year’s local elections, coordinators of the campaign “Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections” said at a press conference organized at Belarus Press Club to announce the launch of the non-partisan election observation.
06.08.2019 Parliamentary elections scheduled for November 17
President Aliaksandr Lukashenka has signed a decree to officially announce the elections to the House of Representatives of the National Assembly. The vote will take place on November 17, according to the presidential press-service.
02.08.2019 Picks of the week
Opposition leaders lose trial over protest policing charge; Viasna writes to UN Special Rapporteur on terrorism on alarming trend in Belarus; CEC head again suggests election day option
01.08.2019 Human Rights Situation in Belarus: July 2019
The human rights situation remained unsatisfactory, without any tangible changes, while in July, as before, there were no cases of administrative imprisonment for political reasons, which generally continues the general trend of the first half of this year.
30.07.2019 New death sentence pronounced in Viciebsk
The Viciebsk Regional Court has sentenced Viktar Paulau, 50, to death finding him guilty of double murder committed in December 2018.
26.07.2019 Picks of the week
New charges confirmed for former political prisoner Dzmitry Paliyenka; three human rights groups banned from major festival; teenager diagnosed with epilepsy after violent arrest
24.07.2019 Are there alternatives to freedom of peaceful assembly in Belarus?
People who participate in a peaceful assembly usually expect a certain reaction from the authorities. However, the situation with the freedom of peaceful assembly in Belarus is far from being perfect: people who come out to streets to raise their concerns publicly are often arrested and fined.
19.07.2019 Picks of the week
Former political prisoner Dzmitry Paliyenka facing additional charge; Belarusian civil society downplays revocation of illegal NGO membership; official in Mahilioŭ goes unpunished for banning a protest against herself
13.07.2019 UN Human Rights Council renews mandate of Special Rapporteur on Belarus
The United Nations Human Rights Council has voted in favor of a resolution to extend for a period of one year the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Belarus.
12.07.2019 Picks of the week
Exhibition on death penalty in Belarus opens in London; only Belarusian political prisoner does not qualify for early release; religious group charged for policing pilgrimage forced to call off event
12.07.2019 Andrei Paluda: Abolition of the death penalty is what every Belarusian needs
Belarus is the only country in Europe and among post-Soviet states that stills executes people. The people here are killed by shooting in the back of the head. Despite the widely recognized fact that the death penalty does not work as a deterrent and is an apparent vestige of the Middle Ages, the conveyor of death continues to operate, while the veil of secrecy and the inhuman treatment to the families of death row prisoners are reminiscent of the Stalin-era repression.
09.07.2019 Critical blogger cleared of embezzlement charges
The Investigative Committee’s office in the city of Biaroza, Brest region, has closed the criminal case against blogger Aliaksandr Kabanau, known for his role in covering the environmental protests in Brest. He was suspected of misappropriation of more than 400 rubles (USD 200) under Art. 211, Part 1 of the Criminal Code.
02.07.2019 Human Rights Situation in Belarus: June 2019
On June 13, Viasna learned about the execution of Aliaksandr Zhylnikau, who was sentenced to death by a verdict of the Minsk City Court. The fate of the other convict in the same case, Viachaslau Sukharka, who was also sentenced to death, is still unknown, but, given the current practice of enforcing death sentences in Belarus, we can assume that he was also executed.
