News on the topic: statement
31.07.2014 Statement by the HRC “Viasna” on the detention and charging of famous Azerbaijani human rights defender Leyla Yunus
On July 30, 2014, Leyla Yunus, a known human rights activist and director of the Institute for Peace and Democracy, and her husband Arif Yunus were detained in Baku (Azerbaijan). The couple were detained as they were leaving the country in order to take part in an event organized by the Institute for Reporters’ Freedom and Safety.
25.06.2014 We urge the Belarusian authorities to release all political prisoners and to initiate systemic changes aimed at ensuring exercisable human rights
Statement by the Human Rights Center “Viasna” on the release of the organization’s chairman and vice-president of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) Ales Bialiatski.
25.06.2014 Ales Bialiatski is under prisoner amnesty
Amnesty International welcomes the release of Belarusian prisoner of conscience Ales Bialiatski after nearly three years behind bars. The organizations remains concerned that his release was not unconditional and that two remaining prisoners of conscience remain in prison.
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 Human Rights Watch: Bialiatski’s release is a positive step
“Every day Ales Bialiatski spent in prison was one day too many,” said Hugh Williamson, Europe and Central Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “From the very beginning, this case had nothing to do with justice and was solely about retaliation for Bialiatski’s human rights work.”
23.06.2014 EU welcomes Ales Bialiatski's release
"We welcome the release of Belarusian human rights defender Ales Bialiatski. After almost three years of imprisonment on politically motivated grounds, he can now finally rejoin his family and friends," says a statement by the Spokesperson of the European Union's External Action Service released on June 21 after the release of Belarusian human rights defender Ales Bialiatski.
21.06.2014 PACE welcomes the release of Ales Bialiatski
“For many years Ales Bialiatski has been a committed partner of the Assembly, who shared with our members his expertise and restlessly fought for human rights in Belarus. His imprisonment in 2011 came as a shock, and we have never missed an occasion to demand his unconditional release,” said Anne Brasseur, President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.
19.05.2014 EU condemns arbitrary detentions of more than 30 civil society and political activists in Belarus
We are concerned about the harassment, arbitrary arrest and detention of several dozens of representatives of civil society and opposition organisations in the run up to the World Ice Hockey Championship in Belarus. We condemn the use of administrative detention by the Belarusian authorities as an instrument aimed at creating pressure, fear and uncertainty among the young generation of people in Belarus.
27.04.2014 Libereco offers to sign petition to amnesty political prisoners in Belarus
On the eve of the Ice Hockey World Championship, the human rights organization “Libereco - Partnership for Human Rights” calls on President Lukashenka to release all political prisoners and to host the Championship without human rights violations.
25.04.2014 Amnesty International: Death row prisoner executed in secret
Amnesty International strongly condemns the execution of death row prisoner, Pavel Selyun, in Belarus and the way it was communicated with total disregard for the rights of his family. According to the Belarusian NGO, Human Rights Centre Viasna, he was executed some time over the Easter period. He had appealed to President Lukashenka for clemency. Pavel Selyun’s mother was not informed that clemency had been denied to her son, nor that he was due to be executed, in violation of international standards.
25.04.2014 Miklós Haraszti: Halt further executions
The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Belarus, Miklós Haraszti, has urged the Belarusian authorities to impose an immediate moratorium on death sentences and to refrain from carrying out further executions.
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
13.03.2014 Statement of Belarusian Association of Journalists on violence against journalists in the Crimea
Pressure on journalists has increased ahead of the March 16 referendum in the Crimea. Every day information appears on detentions and attacks against our colleagues.
04.03.2014 Address of the Human Rights Center “Viasna” to the authorities of the Russian Federation
In connection with the invasion of the troops of the Russian Federation on the territory of Ukraine and the decision of the Council of the Federation to permit the use of Russian troops on the territory of Ukraine "to normalize the situation", we, the representatives of the Human Rights Center "Viasna", express our indignation at the actions of the authorities of the Russian Federation.
24.02.2014 Observatory condemns continued harassment of Viasna
The Observatory has been informed of the continued harassment of the Human Rights Centre “Viasna” and the rejection by the Court of a complaint challenging the blackmailing of its website www.spring96.org.
