News on the topic: statement
17.07.2012 Human Rights Center “Viasna” demands to immediately and unconditionally release Zmitser Dashkevich
According to the information received by the Human Rights Center “Viasna”, the administration of penal colony No. 13 in the town of Hlybokaye, where Zmitser Dashkevich is currently serving his sentence, has submitted to the Investigative Committee of the Republic of Belarus the case file to initiate an investigation and possible criminal prosecution under Par. 1 Art. 411 of the Criminal Code (malicious disobedience of the administration of a penal colony).
05.07.2012 The UN Human Rights Council creates a Special Rapporteur on Belarus
Today, the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC) adopted a resolution on the situation of human rights in Belarus expressing concerns over the prompt deterioration of the situation of human rights in the country following the Presidential elections of December 2010, and establishing a mandate for a Special Rapporteur to monitor the situation, work with the authorities and the domestic civil society, and report back to the Council and to the General Assembly.
27.06.2012 Committee to Protect Journalists: Belarusian authorities are taking revenge for the truth
Belarusian authorities should immediately release a critical journalist who was tried, convicted and sentenced to prison.
27.06.2012 Journalist risks jail for criticizing President: Urgent appeal by Amnesty International
A journalist, Andrzej Poczobut, is at risk of being sentenced to five years imprisonment in Belarus after being arrested for criticizing the Belarusian President. He is a prisoner of conscience, detained solely for exercising his right to freedom of expression.
22.06.2012 EU: The situation in Belarus has been worsening steadily
EU adopted the statement on the first anniversary of the presentation of the OSCE Rapporteur’s report on Belarus.
22.06.2012 Belarus holds another political prisoner – journalist Andrei Pachobut
Statement by the Human Rights Center “Viasna” The Human Rights Center “Viasna” strongly condemns the arrest of and libel charges brought against journalist Andrei Pachobut, and views the case as politically motivated harassment aimed at sanctioning his professional activities and freedom of expression. We consider Andrei Pachobut another political prisoner and demand his immediate and unconditional release.
20.06.2012 The Observatory's Urgent Appeal: Harassment of Mr. Ales Bialiatski
The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), has been informed about measures of reprimand and extra duty issued against Mr. Ales Bialiatski, President of the Human Rights Centre (HRC) "Viasna" and FIDH Vice-President and requests your urgent intervention.
31.05.2012 Human Rights House Network: Urgent call for release of Aleh Volchak
We, the undersigned members and partners of the Human Rights House Network, are deeply concerned about the recent arrest of the Belarusian human rights defender Aleh Volchak and the ongoing pressure against him and other human rights defenders in Belarus. We strongly believe that Aleh Volchak's detention is linked to his legitimate human rights work, including his latest publication about the deteriorating political situation in Belarus on the Internet on the eve of his arrest.
30.05.2012 Human Rights Watch: Stop Using Courts to Silence Dissent
The Belarusian government should immediately release the prominent human rights defender Oleg Volchek, who was convicted for an apparently politically motivated administrative offense, Human Rights Watch said today. Volchek is serving a nine-day sentence after a trial raising serious due process concerns.
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.
30.05.2012 Belarus: Travel ban imposed on human rights defenders
Front Line Defenders believes that the travel ban is solely imposed on Belarusian human rights defenders as a result of their legitimate human rights work, in particular their denouncement of human rights violations in Belarus.
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.
28.05.2012 Belarus: Arrest and sentencing of human rights defender Mr Oleg Volchek
On 24 May 2012, human rights defender Mr Oleg Volchek was arrested and detained by police, and sentenced to nine days of administrative imprisonment. Oleg Volchek is a prominent human rights lawyer and director of the non-governmental organisation Pravovaya pomoshch naseleniyu (Legal Aid to Population), which was closed down by the Belarusian authorities in 2003.
25.04.2012 Human Rights House Network: Appeal for immediate release and full rehabilitation of all political prisoners
Arbitrary detention is used in Belarus against political opponents and persons exercising their freedoms of conscience, opinion and expression. The use of arbitrary detention as a tool of systematic repression of critical voices constitutes a serious violation of human rights as the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention underlines1. We urge the authorities of the Republic of Belarus to release all political prisoners and to compensate them for the harm suffered.
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.
