News for December 2020
14.12.2020 Viasna wins Polish Prize of Sérgio Vieira de Mello
On December 10, the Human Rights Center “Viasna” was awarded the Polish Prize of Sérgio Vieira de Mello, former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.
11.12.2020 "We felt like we were chickens brought to a cage with tigers." Survivor stories
The riot police came out of the road police car. They poked their shotguns into our windows and told us to get out. We did. They put us on our knees and asked, 'Do you want change?' They hit us on the head with batons.
11.12.2020 National Human Rights Award winners announced
On the International Human Rights Day, December 10, a coalition of human rights organizations of Belarus held a ceremony in Minsk to present the annual National Human Rights Awards.
10.12.2020 New godparents for Belarusian political prisoners
Members of German Bundestag and the European Parliament take over godparenthood for Dzianis Boltuts, Anton Bialenski and Yauhen Afnahel
09.12.2020 New report on post-election protests presented in Minsk. Full English text
A coalition of Belarusian human rights defenders presented today a report entitled “Belarus. August 2020: “Justice” for Protesters.” It highlights violations of the standards of a fair trial after tens of thousands of peaceful demonstrators protested the rigged presidential election and thousands were detained en masse and were convicted in August 2020.
09.12.2020 Postcard campaign for political prisoners in Belarus
On the occasion of Human Rights Day on 10 December, Libereco launches a postcard campaign for all political prisoners in Belarus. Join us and write a postcard or a letter to the neighbouring country of the EU.
08.12.2020 Belarus Escalates Crackdown on Independent Journalism
Online News Outlet TUT.BY Stripped of Media Credentials
08.12.2020 “We Will Not Forget”: Prison sentences for writing on pavement
The Frunzienski District Court of Minsk sentenced today Maksim Pauliushchyk to two years in prison for spray-painting “We Will Not Forget” on the pavement near the Puškinskaja metro station as a sign of remembrance of protester Aliaksandr Taraikouski who died on the spot on August 10, reportedly from a rubber bullet fired by a law enforcement officer.
07.12.2020 Swiss national gets 2 ½ years in prison for tearing balaclava off riot policeman
Natallia Hersche, a Belarus-born 51-year-old Swiss national, has been sentenced today to two and a half years in prison for removing a balaclava from a riot police officer during a protest on September 19.
07.12.2020 Stop repression against Belarusian students!
Libereco and the Students Solidarity Alliance Belarus have launched an international petition to the Belarusian university directors due to the massive repression of students. The petition calls them to stand behind their students, to protect their rights and to end the removals from the register of students process.
07.12.2020 "Let's take him to the police van, let the guys have fun." Survivor stories
I was quite brutally detained. They immediately grabbed my phone because I was in the middle of a conversation. They said a few words and put me on the ground or my knees, I do not remember that for sure. And then the beatings started.
05.12.2020 Political prisoner Yauhen Yushkevich released
Political prisoner Yauhen Yushkevich has been released, after spending 10 days in pre-trial detention. The charges of “breaching public order” he is facing, however, remain in place.
05.12.2020 UN High Commissioner for Human Rights urges government of Belarus to end ongoing human rights violations
The human rights situation in Belarus continues to deteriorate, particularly with respect to peaceful assembly, the UN rights chief said on Friday, urging the government to put an end to ongoing violations and “take steps towards a genuine, respectful and inclusive national dialogue”.
04.12.2020 Ales Bialiatski and Viasna receive Right Livelihood Award
The Human Rights Center “Viasna” and its leader Ales Bialiatski became the first Belarusian laureates of the prestigious international prize “Right Livelihood Award”, known as the Alternative Nobel Prize. Ales Bialiatski and Viasna received the award for their role in the struggle for democracy and human rights in Belarus.
04.12.2020 "We brought you to the execution, guys." Survivor stories
We ran up to the third floor crouched and were beaten with batons along the way. They put people in cells in threes. Our cell was meant for six people. After a while, there were 32 men in that cell.
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