14.04.2017 Statement: Release Political Prisoner Dzmitry Paliyenka
Joint statement of Belarus human rights organizations
14.04.2017 UN HRC Finds Violation of the Rights of the Abducted Politician Yury Zakharanka
The Committee on Human Rights of the UN considered the individual complaint from the politician’s mother Uliyana Zakharanka and his daughter Alena filed in 2014. Finally, the Committee ruled that the rights of the disappeared politician and of his relatives have been violated. The decision was sent on April 11 to the lawyers of the Belarusian Documentation Center, who reported it at a press conference on April 13.
13.04.2017 Human Rights Defenders Present Key Recommendations in Brussels Concerning Belarus
During a working visit to Brussels, Belarusian and international human rights defenders held meetings in EU structures, discussing the events of recent few months and calling on EU member states to take decisive measures regarding the Belarusian state in order to reach progress in the sphere of human rights in the country.
11.04.2017 At least 1,032 people executed in 23 countries in 2016, Amnesty International Annual Report says
At least 1,032 people were executed in 23 countries in 2016. In 2015 Amnesty International recorded 1,634 executions in 25 countries worldwide - a historical spike unmatched since 1989.
10.04.2017 Belarus shelves amendments to Electoral Code
Absence of any public information regarding previously announced steps to improve the election legislation suggests that the work of state bodies in this direction has been frozen. Despite this, human rights activists involved in independent monitoring of election campaigns and analytical work in the area continue their efforts aimed at bringing the provisions of the Electoral Code and law enforcement practices in line with international standards.
07.04.2017 Activist Dzmitry Paliyenka to serve 18 months in prison as court revokes suspended sentence
Dzmitry Paliyenka, an activist awarded a 2-year suspended sentence for his involvement in the Critical Mass cycling protest in April 2016, will spend 18 months of the term in prison, after the Zavodski District Court of Minsk revoked today the suspension over alleged violations of related restrictions.
06.04.2017 Immediately release political prisoner Viachaslau Kasinerau
We believe that Viachaslau Kasinerau is a political prisoner and urge the Belarusian authorities to drop the criminal charges against him and to immediately release the activist.
05.04.2017 Seven more persons charged in ‘rioting case’
Seven more people arrested in the so-called ‘rioting case’ have faced formal charges under Part 3 of Art. 293 of the Criminal Code. They are currently held in the KGB prison in Minsk.
03.04.2017 Human Rights Situation in Belarus: March 2017
March was marked by a dramatic deterioration of the human rights situation in the country, which testifies to the return of the authorities of Belarus to the policy of the worst repressive practices.
31.03.2017 Expert analysis of the prosecution of Viachaslau Kasinerau
On March 28, it was reported that activist Viachaslau Kasinerau, who was serving a 15-day administrative detention for participation in a demonstration on February 17 in Minsk, was charged with an offense under Part 1, Art. 339 of the Criminal Code (hooliganism). The activist was taken into custody and transferred to the Interior Ministry’s pre-trial prison in Minsk.
30.03.2017 Human rights defender Andrei Bandarenka acquitted, released
The imprisoned human rights defender Andrei Bandarenka will be released tomorrow, after the Lieninski District Court of Mahilioŭ found him today not guilty of violating prison rules. If convicted, Bandarenka could have faced another year in prison, as requested by the prosecutor earlier today.
29.03.2017 Observatory: Crackdown continues, more human rights defenders detained in Belarus
Paris-Geneva, March 29, 2017: Belarusian authorities continue to use detention to prevent human rights defenders from observing peaceful protests throughout the country. The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders (FIDH-OMCT) deplores a new series of arrests, harassments and convictions and urges Belarusian authorities to release all detained human rights defenders and investigate allegations of ill-treatment.
29.03.2017 Belarus: UN Expert Decries Return Of Mass Violence Against Peaceful Protestors, Demands Release Of All Detained
The Special Rapporteur on human rights in Belarus, Miklós Haraszti, has expressed dismay over the Government’s open return to the policy of violent mass repression against peaceful demonstrators, non-governmental organizations, journalists and political opponents, and is calling on the authorities of Belarus to stop harassment and violence.
28.03.2017 Statistics of Freedom Day trials
On March 27, Minsk and the six regional cities of Belarus hosted trials of persons detained in the lead up to and during the protests of March 25-26. Human rights activists and observers monitored the trials.
28.03.2017 Civic solidarity movement condemns mass detentions and police violence in Belarus
We, the undersigned members of the Civic Solidarity Platform (CSP), a coalition of human rights NGOs from Europe, the former Soviet Union region and North America, and other non-governmental organisations decry the mass detentions of peaceful demonstrators, journalists and human rights defenders, as well as the use of violence and abusive treatment targeting them in Belarus on 25-26 March 2017.
