24.11.2011 EP President condemns sentencing of Byalyatski

Jerzy Buzek, the President of the European Parliament, condemns the sentencing of human rights activist Ales Byalyatski and calls on the Belarusian authorities to release him.

24.11.2011 OSCE head calls on Minsk to release Byalyatski immediately

The OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Audronius Ažubalis has expressed his deep concern about the sentence to human rights activist Ales Byalyatski and urged to release him immediately.

24.11.2011 The jewel of the Belarusian human rights work has been sentenced to four and a half years in prison. Press release from the Norwegian Helsinki Committee.

Ales Bialiatski, the head of the well-known human rights organization Viasna in Belarus this morning sentenced to four and a half years in prison and confiscation of property for tax evasion.

24.11.2011 Civil Rights Defenders: The Belarusian civil society received a severe blow today

The Belarusian civil society received a severe blow today. Ales Bialiatski, Chariman of the human rights organisation Viasna, was sentenced for tax evasion to four and a half years in prison and confiscation of property.

24.11.2011 Outrage and indignation: FIDH Vice-President, Ales Bialiatski, sentenced to 4 and a half years imprisonment under strict regime

Today, Ales Bialiatski, FIDH Vice-President and President of the Belarusian Human Rights Center “Viasna” (Viasna), was sentenced to 4 and a half years strict regime detention, the payment of a fine, as well as the confiscation of his property, including Viasna’s offices and property registered with members of his family. FIDH calls for his immediate and unconditional release and for all charges against him to be abandoned.

24.11.2011 Statement by members of the Human Rights Center “Viasna” on the sentence to Ales Bialiatski

Today, on November 24, 2011, Judge Siarhei Bandarenka of Pershamaiski District Court in Minsk sentenced our colleague – chairman of the Human Rights Center “Viasna”, vice-president of FIDH Ales Bialiatski to 4.5 years of imprisonment. The human rights activist was convicted of allegedly committing a crime under Part 2 of Article 243 of the Criminal Code – “tax evasion on a large scale”.

23.11.2011 Joint Statement by High Representative Catherine Ashton and Commissioner Štefan Füle on the trial of Human Rights defender Ales Byalyatski

Catherine Ashton, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the Commission, and Stefan Füle, EU Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy, made today the following statement:

“We are seriously concerned about the detention and prosecution of internationally renownedBelarusian human rights defender Ales Byalyatski for alleged tax evasion. "

20.11.2011 Stop murder – in the name of the people!

The Human Rights Defenders Against the Death Penalty are calling upon everyone to help save human lives by signing the online petition against the possible execution of Dzmitry Kanavalau and Uladzislau Kavaliou.

11.11.2011 ARTICLE 19, Index on Censorship and English PEN: charges against Bialiatski are politically motivated

ARTICLE 19, Index on Censorship and English PEN consider the charges brought against Ales Bialiatski politically motivated and initiated to paralyse the activities of the already decimated human rights community in Belarus.

21.10.2011 Open Joint letter regarding the new legislative amendments limiting freedom of assembly and association and imposing new restrictions on civil society groups in Belarus

A number of international human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, ARTICLE 19, Civil Rights Defenders, Front Line Defenders, Human Rights Watch, the Human Rights House Foundation, the Norwegian Helsinki Committee and the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, have addressed the Council of the Republic, the upper chamber of the Belarusian Parliament, urging the Parliament members to quash recent legislative amendments that impose limitations on freedom of assembly and association and severely restrict the work of Belarusian civil society groups, especially those working on human rights or related issues.

21.10.2011 Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders: Urgent appeal on Valiantsin Stefanovich's case

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), requests your urgent intervention in the following situation in Belarus. The Observatory has been informed by reliable sources about the sentencing of Mr. Valiantsin Stefanovich, Vice-Chairman of the Human Rights Centre “Viasna”.

19.10.2011 EU delegation urges Belarus not to pass “some repressive draft laws”

The European Union Delegation to Belarus has issued a statement urging the Belarusian authorities not to pass “some repressive draft laws” that “would severely limit the freedoms and rights of Belarusian citizens and represent a step backwards as regards Belarus’ respect for human rights and the rule of law”, the BelaPAN news agency reports.

14.10.2011 On the Threat of Significant Limitations on Human Rights in Legislation

Statement by the leaders of civil society organizations in Belarus

05.10.2011 Human rights defenders recognize Alinevich, Dziadok and Frankevich political prisoners

Human Rights Center "Viasna" and the Belarusian Helsinki Committee recognized Ihar Alinevich, Mikalai Dziadok and Aliaksandr Frantskevich as political prisoners of the present regime. The human rights defenders came to this conclusion on the basis of analysis of the so-called “Case of Anarchists”.

05.10.2011 FIDH and Viasna: Inhumane treatment and threats to the lives of Belarusian political prisoners must stop!

Paris-Minsk, 4 October 2011 – International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and its member organisation in Belarus, Human Rights Center “Viasna”, strongly condemn the inhuman treatment of political prisoners in Belarusian prisons. Reliable sources indicate that psychological and physical pressure continues on political prisoners still in detention in Belarus, including death threats, unjustified transfers and appalling health care provision.