30.05.2012 Viasna demands to stop illegal administrative arrests of civil activists
The Human Rights Center “Viasna” condemns the illegal administrative prosecution and arrests of a number of youth activists, including Mikhail Muski, Zmitser Kremianetski, Raman Vasilyeu, Mikalai Dzemidzenka and Pavel Vinahradau, as well as human rights defender Aleh Vouchak.
29.05.2012 Viasna statement on conviction and sentencing of Vasil Parfiankou
On 29 May, Minsk Pershamaiski District Court sentenced civil activist Vasil Parfiankou to six months of arrest for violating the restrictions of a preventive supervision imposed by a court under Art. 421 of the Criminal Code. The Human Rights Center “Viasna” views the sentencing of Vasil Parfiankou as a politically motivated decision, and will consider the activist a political prisoner from the moment when his imprisonment starts.
25.05.2012 St. Petersburg human rights defenders picket for release of Ales Bialiatski. Photo Report.
On 24 May, Russian human rights defenders, members of the anti-discrimination centre "Memorial" staged a picket in central St. Petersburg, joining the international campaign for the release of Viasna leader Ales Bialiatski.
04.05.2012 “Viasna” writes contemporary history
The 16th anniversary of the Human Rights Center “Viasna” was marked by the presentation of two books: a photo album "For Right to Elect: Portraits of Convicts. Square-2010" and the book of interviews “Our Viasna. History in Faces".
30.04.2012 Russian President’s Human Rights Council urges Medvedev to aid Ales Bialiatski’s release
“We ask you to use all of your power to foster the release of our colleague Ales Bialiatski held in detention in Belarus,” says an appeal passed to Russia’s President Dmitry Medvedev in his meeting with the Presidential Council for the Development of Civil Society and Human Rights on 28 April.
26.04.2012 “Viasna” marks 16 years of activity
It was 16 years ago, when after a wave of brutal arrests during the traditional Chernobyl Way march a group of activists started collecting and disseminating information on the detainees, trying to give them financial support. This is how “Viasna-96” was founded, whose priority was providing assistance to the victims of political repressions and sharing information on these repressions.
25.04.2012 European Parliament Vice-President's letter to Ales Bialiatski: "I write to assure you of the European Parliament's determination to have you released"
The EU "sanctions will continue as long as the Belarusian regime denies its citizens democracy and abuses their human rights," says Edward McMillan Scott, Vice-President of the European Parliament for Democracy & Human Rights, in his letter to the imprisoned leader of the Human Rights Center "Viasna" Ales Bialiatski dated 19 April.
24.04.2012 Statement by the Human Rights Center “Viasna”: Stop Criminal Prosecution of Vasil Parfiankou
On 19 April, Pershamaiski District Department of the Investigative Committee in Minsk notified the former political prisoner Vasil Parfiankou that he was facing criminal charges for violating the conditions of preventive supervision established by the Court of Minsk Pershamaiski District on January 5, 2012 for the period of one year.
20.04.2012 Ales Bialiatski ‘flayed’ again: No chance for early release
The Court of Pershamaiski District of Minsk has ruled in a civil lawsuit to collect from Ales Bialiatski over 140 million rubles of fine (nearly 12,700 Euro) for alleged late payment of arrears. Meanwhile, the amount ordered by the sentence was paid by the human rights defender in January and indexed for inflation, after which it more than doubled.
16.04.2012 Valiantsin Stefanovich: Human rights defenders view pressure to force prisoners of conscience to sign petitions for pardon as torture
“We view their release as the first step by the Belarusian authorities taken as a result of the European Union’s reaction to the situation in the country,” says deputy chair of the Human Rights Center “Viasna” Valiantsin Stefanovich in his comments on the recent release of former presidential candidate Andrei Sannikau and his election aide Dzmitry Bandarenka.
06.04.2012 Ales Bialiatski: "Basic unit became 100,000 rubles and prisoners may be the only people who are glad about it"
In one of his first letters from a working brigade of the Babruisk colony the human rights defender describes new circumstances, to which he is trying to adapt. He writes as usual, with subtle self-irony and the ability to note funny situations and characters in any life circumstances.
04.04.2012 Metamorphoses in the case of "petty hooligan" Sviatlana Viarheichyk
Police beat pensioner Sviatlana Viarheichyk during detention more than 8 months ago. Since that time she has been keeping correspondence with the law machinery, trying to restore justice and draw to legal account the officers of the Kastrychnitski District Police Department of Minsk who had inflicted bodily injuries to her.
30.03.2012 FIDH and Viasna joint statement on political persecution of Siarhei Kavalenka
On 24 February 2012, the Pervomaisk District Court in Vitebsk sentenced opposition activist Siarhei Kavalenka to two years and one month imprisonment, having found him guilty of evading serving a punishment of supervised release.
26.03.2012 Ales Bialiatski wins Norwegian ‘Freedom of Expression’ award
The imprisoned leader of the Human Rights Center “Viasna” Ales Bialiatski has been awarded the Freedom of Expression award by the Norwegian Authors´ Union (“Den norske Forfatterforening”).
15.03.2012 Human rights defenders stand for immediate introduction of a moratorium on the death penalty in Belarus
On 14 March 2012 Belarusian mass media published the information that Aliaksandr Lukashenka refused to pardon Uladzislau Kavaliou and Dzmitry Kanavalau.
