14.06.2018 Financial police raid apartment of BelaPAN director, charge him with tax evasion
The Minsk apartment of Ales Lipai, director of the BelaPAN news agency, has been searched by financial police this morning. According to human rights activist Valiantsin Stefanovich, the search was conducted by the Department of Financial Investigations of the State Control Committee as part of a criminal case opened against Lipai.
08.06.2018 Picks of the week
Journalists still under attack; Interior Ministry involved in homophobic row; cannabis-legalization campaigner spends 3 days in jail for fake protest
05.06.2018 Human Rights Situation in Belarus: May 2018
On May 20, the website of the Ministry of Internal Affairs published an article with homophobic content entitled “We Are For True Things”, in which the Interior Ministry spoke against LGBTQ+ people and the rainbow flag flown on the British Embassy’s building in Minsk to mark the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia, May 17. The article called the minority “fake”.
01.06.2018 HRDs set to monitor implementation of recommendations by UN Committee against Torture
Representatives of a coalition of human rights organizations, which in late April presented an alternative report to the UN Committee against Torture, have commented on the Concluding observations of the Committee following the 63rd session of the Committee.
30.05.2018 Supreme Court confirms death sentences for Zhylnikau and Sukharko
The Supreme Court has upheld the death sentences earlier handed down to Aliaksandr Zhylnikau and Viachaslau Sukharko for the murder of three people. The judgment was pronounced after the court completed hearing Zhylnikau’s appeal, while Sukharko refused to challenge the verdict.
29.05.2018 Two more executions reported in Belarus
Two death convicts, Aliaksei Mikhalenia and Viktar Liotau, have been recently executed, according to Viachaslau Sukharko, another death row inmate whose appeal was heard today at the Supreme Court.
24.05.2018 Death penalty: Belarus must be accountable to someone
Belarus is the last country in Europe to apply the death penalty. It often does so in secret.
19.05.2018 Repeal of Article 193.1 is half measure, say HRDs
The Council of Ministers submitted to the Parliament a draft law “On amendments to certain Codes of the Republic of Belarus”. Among other things, the bill provides for the removal of Article 193.1 (“Illegal organization of activities of a public association, religious organization or foundation or participation in their activities”) from the Criminal Code.
17.05.2018 Goodbye, Article 193-1!
The National Legal Internet Portal has published a draft bill on amendments to the Criminal Code, which was prepared by the Council of Ministers. According to the draft, it is planned to repeal Article 193-1 of the Criminal Code, which provides for criminal responsibility for activity on behalf of unregistered organizations.
15.05.2018 The secret executions in Europe's 'last dictatorship'
When the guards come, these inmates never know if it is for the last time. On death row in Belarus, the only country in Europe that still uses the death penalty, they are never told when they will be executed. And when it happens, it is all kept as a state secret.
10.05.2018 Amnesty International launches World Wide Appeal for Dzmitry Paliyenka
It’s Dzmitry’s 24th birthday on 26 May! Let’s try and get him the gift of freedom.
07.05.2018 Authorities ignore observers’ appeal against arrest at Freedom Day protest
In early April, six observers of the monitoring mission co-run by the Human Rights Center “Viasna” and the Belarusian Helsinki Committee wrote to the Prosecutor's Office of the Saviecki district of Minsk and the city’s office of the Investigative Committee to complain about their illegal detention ahead of the Freedom Day demonstration on March 25 in Minsk.
03.05.2018 Stop harassment of human rights defenders for their legitimate human rights activities
Human rights defenders urge the authorities to drop the administrative charges against Tatsiana Mastykina and other observers who were arrested on March 25.
03.05.2018 Human Rights Situation in Belarus: April 2018
At the 63rd session of the UN Committee against Torture, the official delegation of Belarus submitted its periodic report within the fifth cycle. An alternative report was presented by Belarusian human rights activists.
02.05.2018 Protesters detained on May Day in Minsk
At least nine people were arrested by the police before and during the protest in Minsk, which was organized by the REP Trade Union. The gathering had been authorized by the city administration.
