25.06.2014 Belarus: “Rights defender Ales Bialiatski released, but other political prisoners remain in jail” – UN expert
GENEVA (24 June 2014) – The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Belarus, Miklós Haraszti, welcomed the release from prison of human rights defender Ales Bialiatski, but called for the immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners and their full rehabilitation.
24.06.2014 Sacha Koulaeva: Ales’ release is a sign of hope for human rights defenders facing repression in other countries
On June 23, Sacha Koulaeva, Head of Eastern Europe and Central Asia Desk of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), came to Minsk to congratulate FIDH vice-president Ales Bialiatski on his release on behalf of his colleagues from all around the world.
23.06.2014 Ales Bialiatski: Belarus should be a country without political prisoners
“Being a prisoner for the sake of a democratic, independent Belarus is normal,” said Ales Bialiatski during a press conference held today in the Minsk office of the Human Rights Center “Viasna”. He then crossed out his name on a T-shirt bearing the names of the remaining seven political prisoners.
18.06.2014 The Last Dawn: Belarusian musicians against the death penalty (video)
The Minsk-based Graffiti club hosted yesterday the presentation of the project of Belarusian musicians called Aposhni Zolak (“The Last Dawn”). In this way, a number of famous musicians, among them Hanna Khitryk, Aliaksandr Pamidorau, Zmitser Vaitsiushkevich, Anastasia Shpakouskaya, Viktar Rudenka, Liavon Volski, spoke against the death penalty. Last year they had a big concert in Bialystok, and Belarusian fans were able to watch it online.
13.06.2014 The authors of individual communication filed to the UN Human Rights Committee on behalf of Ales Bialiatski, addressed the Human Rights Committee with an open letter
Authors of individual communication submitted to the UN Human Rights Committee on behalf of Ales Bialiatski, President of the Human Rights Center "Viasna" and Vice-President of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), addressed the Human Rights Committee with an open letter. Antoine Bernard, Director-General of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), and Natallia Pinchuk, the wife of the political prisoner Ales Bialiatski, urge the Committee to speed up consideration of the communication that was filed two years ago.
29.05.2014 Human rights defenders attend conference on Belarus in Geneva
On May 27, Geneva hosted a conference on the human rights situation in Belarus with the participation of international and Belarusian human rights defenders, relatives of political prisoners and the representative of the European Union at the United Nations. The event, which was organized by the Human Rights House Foundation, was meant to precede the presentation of a report of the UN Special Rapporteur on Belarus.
26.05.2014 Human rights results of Ice Hockey Championship: Repressive machine shows its power in action
Valiantsin Stefanovich, Deputy Chairman of the Human Rights Center “Viasna”, in his interview for spring96.org, tells about the human rights results of the Ice Hockey World Championship, which was held in Minsk from 9 to 25 May.
12.05.2014 International human rights defenders: Ice Hockey World Championships 2014 in Minsk overshadowed by detentions
Human rights organisations appeal to International Ice Hockey Federation and Belarusian President Lukashenka
07.05.2014 When will the activists be released? (list of detained persons)
In general, the activists are being detained on purely fabricated, similar grounds such as “disorderly conduct" and “disobedience to the law-enforcement officials”. The courts conduct administrative trial proceedings formalistically, implicitly trust the law-enforcement officials and don’t take account of the evidence provided by the defense.
02.05.2014 Condition of 9 political prisoners in Belarus is critical (information as of April 2014)
International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and Human Rights Centre “Viasna” presented analytical report on the condition of political prisoners and limitation of freedom for civil activists in Belarus. The report provides the information as of 30 April 2014 in Russian language.
25.04.2014 Sport for Sport
Appeal by Human Rights Organizations to the Governments of the Countries Participating in the 2014 World Ice Hokey Championship to be held in Minsk
22.04.2014 Can political prisoners count on release under amnesty?
On April 21, it became known that the parliament was expected to review a bill on amnesty in 2014. However, the national legal portal has not yet published the document.
18.04.2014 “In the name of the Republic of Belarus”: Pavel Sialiun executed
Death convict Pavel Sialiun is said to have been executed one of these days. Meanwhile, his complaint is still pending before the UN Human Rights Committee. This means that Belarus has once again breached its international obligations.
17.04.2014 Death convict Aliaksandr Hrunou files supervisory appeal and petition for clemency
Aliaksandr Hrunou notes that when sentencing him to death the court failed to consider number of mitigating circumstances, including his sincere repentance, complete confession and voluntary cooperation with the investigation, as well as the illegal and immoral actions by the victim, Natallia Yemialiyanchykava.
17.04.2014 Supreme Court upholds death sentence to Eduard Lykau
The man was found guilty of five murders. He committed the first two in 2002. However, the investigation found about it only in 2011, when he was detained for the last, fifth murder. Lykau confessed the previous crimes himself and cooperated with the investigation.
