News on the topic: human rights
19.04.2015 Human rights crisis in Belarus discussed at OSCE side event
On April 17, the situation in Belarus was discussed at a side event held in Vienna in the framework of the OSCE additional meeting on the human dimension, dedicated to freedom of peaceful assembly and association.
17.04.2015 Miklós Haraszti: Lukashenka system needs Europe now (video)
The UN Special Rapporteur on Belarus, Miklós Haraszti, spoke yesterday at a meeting of the Subcommittee on Human Rights of the European Parliament.
16.04.2015 Ales Bialiatski: No reasons to lift sanctions against Belarus, while there are political prisoners (video)
Ales Bialiatski, head of the Human Rights Center "Viasna" and FIDH Vice President, participated today, along with the UN Special Rapporteur on Belarus Miklos Haraszti, in a meeting of the European Parliament’s Subcommittee on Human Rights. The human rights defender urged the EU to continue putting pressure on the Belarusian authorities.
13.04.2015 Situation of Human Rights in Belarus. March 2015.
In March, the human rights situation in Belarus remained at an unsatisfactory level. The country’s penal facilities continued to hold six political prisoners. Siarhei Ivanou, 21, was sentenced to death.
27.03.2015 Viasna releases DVD about Soviet-era dissident Mikhail Kukabaka
The Human Rights Center "Viasna" has released on DVD a documentary entitled The Dissident telling about the famous Belarusian political prisoner Mikhail Kukabaka.
17.03.2015 Review-Chronicle of Human Rights Violations in Belarus in 2014 (PDF-version)
The situation of human rights during 2014 remained consistently poor with a tendency to deterioration at the end of the year. Human rights violations were of both systemic and systematic nature: basic civil and political rights were extremely restricted, there were no systemic changes in the field of human rights.
12.03.2015 Situation of Human Rights in Belarus. February 2015.
February was marked by a negative trend in the field of human rights. There was a clear departure of the EU and the US from a value-based approach in their relations with the Belarusian authorities. One can say that the official Minsk restored a dialogue on its own terms, which is based on a pragmatic relationship.
26.02.2015 Human rights activists meet with PACE Special Rapporteur Andrea Rigoni
On February 25, Andrea Rigoni, Special Rapporteur of the Political Affairs Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), continued his fact-finding visit to Belarus with a meeting with representatives of key human rights organizations: the Human Rights Center "Viasna", the Belarusian Helsinki Committee, the Belarusian Association of Journalists and the Center for Legal Transformation Lawtrend.
25.02.2015 Amnesty International Report 2014/15: Belarus summary
Belarus remained the only country in Europe to carry out executions. Opposition politicians and human rights activists were detained for legitimate activities. The right to freedom of expression was severely restricted and journalists faced harassment. Severe restrictions on freedom of assembly remained in place. NGOs continued to be arbitrarily denied registration.
25.02.2015 Ales Bialiatski calls on Italian MFA to continue policy of pressure on Belarusian regime
On 24 February, chairman of the Human Rights Center "Viasna" Ales Bialiatski met in Rome with head of the Human Rights Department of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Jessica Laganà.
25.02.2015 Efficiency of the Use of International Human Rights Mechanisms in Respect of Belarus
A number of Belarusian NGOs have published a report prepared by graduates and experts of the Human Rights House Network’s program “International Law in Advocacy” as a result of a study entitled “Efficiency of the Use of International Human Rights Mechanisms in Respect of Belarus”.
25.02.2015 Ales Bialiatski: Voice of human rights defenders working for peace must be heard (video)
Ales Bialiatski, leader of the Human Rights Center “Viasna”, spoke yesterday at the presentation of Amnesty International’s annual report in Rome. The event was organized by Amnesty’s national office.
25.02.2015 Global response to atrocities by states and armed groups "shameful and ineffective"
“2014 was a catastrophic year for millions caught up in violence. As people suffered an escalation in barbarous attacks and repression, the international community has been found wanting,” said Salil Shetty, Secretary General of Amnesty International.
24.02.2015 EU not to ignore human rights violations in Belarus
Deputy Head of the Human Rights Center “Viasna” Valiantsin Stefanovich has told about his today’s meeting with representatives of the European Union’s European External Action Service, which took place on 24 February at the European Commission’s office in Minsk.
20.02.2015 Ales Bialiatski tells Latvian Foreign Minister about Belarusian political prisoners
On 20 February, the Embassy of the Republic of Latvia hosted a meeting of representatives of the Belarusian civil society with the Latvian Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr. Edgars Rinkēvičs. The meeting was attended by representatives of human rights organizations, including the chairman of the Human Rights Center “Viasna” Ales Bialiatski.
