The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News on the topic: EU-Belarus

18.09.2009 EU condemns crackdown on September 16 rally and violence against opposition in Belarus

Sweden which is the country presiding in the European Union has made a statement slamming crackdown on the peaceful rally of solidarity in Minsk dedicated to the 10th anniversary of opposition leaders’ abduction.

"The Presidency urges the Belarusian authorities to refrain from the use of force in dealing with peaceful demonstrations and to ensure that representatives of independent media are able to perform their tasks without interference," Sweden, holder of the rotating presidency, said in a statement on Thursday, as quoted by the website of “European Belarus” movement.

04.09.2009 Relatives of missing oppositionists demand that Lukashenka not be let in Lithuania

The Lithuanian-Belarusian economic forum, which Lukashenka plans to attend, is to open on 16 September. This day Viktar Hanchar and Anatol Krasouski were kidnapped ten years ago.

01.09.2009 Well-known public figures address world leaders concerning unlawful imprisonment of Vaukavysk entrepreneurs

Well-known public and political activists of Belarus have addressed the world leaders with the request to foster the independent legal expertise of the criminal case that was brought against Mikalai Autukhovich, Yyry Liavonau and Uladzimir Asipenka. The text of the address was submitted to the heads of the EU countries, the EU president, the Swedish speaker Frederick Reifeldt, the president of the European Commission José Manuel Barroso, the US president Barack Obama and the president of Russia Dmitry Medvedev.

25.08.2009 EU ambassadors meet with New Life pastor

On 25 August the French embassy to Minsk hosted a meeting of a number of EU diplomats with representatives of the New Life Protestant church. The meeting initiated by the Swedish ambassador Stefan Ericsson dealt with the possible seizure of the church building. The diplomats said they had received a letter from Minsk city authorities expressing their vision of the issue. According to New Life’s lawyer Siarhei Lukanin, the letter contained false information concerning the amount of compensation offered to the church by the authorities. ‘In fact, the USD 13,000 we were offered would not even pay a construction project. As for the building land, the proposals were too vague to consider,’ says Mr.Lukanin.

21.08.2009 Belarusian dictator spat upon Europe again

Alyaksandr Lukashenka said he wasn’t going to release political prisoners and hold free elections.

“Europe should understand that is it necessary to respect each other if they want to build good relations with Belarus,” Lukashenka said during his visit to the Vitsebsk region.

“We are ready for a dialogue with Europe on all issues. This dialogue seems to be going well,” Lukashenka said. He added: “I’ll tell about a problem. If they make conditions for as and think that Lukashenka won’t have another way out, as Russia used to think we had bad relations with Russia, they will fail.” “We have good, excellent relations with Russia. Yes, we have problems. But only those who do nothing have no problems,” the Belarusian ruler said.

06.08.2009 Ales Bialiatski: ‘The attitude to human rights activists hasn’t changed since the liquidation of ‘Viasna’ till registration denial to ‘Nasha Viasna’

Belarusian human rights activist ales Bialiatski, vice-president of the International Federation for Human Rights, gives an outline of the situation of human rights defenders in Belarus during the recent years.

04.08.2009 EU condemns new death sentence in Belarus

The representation of the European Commission has disseminated a statement on that on 3 August.

23.06.2009 Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner sets five conditions for Belarus

During her stay in Minsk on 22 June, the European Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner expressed her hope that ‘relations between Belarus this country in the heart of Europe and the European Union can become warmer and closer in the future.’ However, she stressed that it is only possible in case Belarus took a number of steps aimed at introducing democratic reforms in the country. Mrs.Ferrero-Waldner said her meeting with President Lukashenka was very productive. She also said that ‘more cooperation could mean lighter visa requirements and so easier travel to the EU, and more opportunities for cultural and educational exchange.’

22.06.2009 European Union and Belarusian regime started dialogue on human rights

On 16-17 June 2009, the European Union and Belarus held the first round of human rights dialogue in Prague.

The dialogue was held in a constructive and open atmosphere.

The dialogue allowed an exchange of views on the human rights situation both in Belarus and in the EU, focusing in particular on freedom of assembly and association, including labour rights, freedom of expression and information, freedom of thought, conscience and religion, combating different forms of intolerance and hate crimes, rights of migrants and persons belonging to minorities, combating trafficking of human beings, protection of different vulnerable groups, situation in prisons and detention facilities, death penalty.

22.06.2009 Ferrero-Waldner: EU took off rose-coloured glasses long ago

Benita Ferrero-Waldner, European Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy, started her visit to Minsk with a meeting with representatives of the opposition and the civil society.

In the morning June 22, Benita Ferrero-Waldner met with Stanislau Shushkevich, former chairman of the Supreme Council of Belarus and leader of the Belarusian Social Democratic Hramada; former political prisoner Alyaksandr Kazulin; head of the United Civil Party Anatol Lyabedzka; leader of the Belarusian Party of Communists Syarhei Kalyakin; deputy head of the BPF party Vintsuk Vyachorka.

04.06.2009 Östgruppen joins the campaign for abolishment of Article 193.1

Members of the Swedish human rights initiative Östgruppen stated their support to the campaign for abolishment of Article 193.1 of the Criminal Code of Belarus that provides criminal punishment for participation in unregistered organization. The campaign has been launched by the Assembly of Pro-democratic NGOs.

27.05.2009 EASTERN PARTNERSHIP: TOWARDS CIVIL SOCIETY FORUM

Official side-event of the Czech EU Presidency under the auspices of H.E. Mirek Topolánek, Prime Minister of the Czech Republic. International Conference May 5-6, 2009, Prague

21.05.2009 Reporters without Borders: Lukashenka playing triple game

Representatives of Reporters without Borders blame the Belarusian authorities of pressing the opposition.

Only slightly changes in the situation with freedom of media can be noticed in Belarus, representative of Representatives of Reporters Elsa Vidal said on May 20. The human rights activist thinks there are different levers of pressure upon the Belarusian ruler in this sector, but it’s “very difficult to press on Alyaksandr Lukashenka”, Deutsche Welle reports.

23.04.2009 Estonian Foreign Minister says EU should force Belarus respect human rights

On 22 April the Tallinn-based EU Information Center hosted a debate on Belarus’ membership in the Eastern Partnership program, featuring the Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Paet, MP Andres Herkel, as well as Belarusian students, studying in Estonia. ‘Minister Paet stressed that the European Union’s objective was making Minsk respect human rights in the country and observe international standards in the sphere. Otherwise, the EU may within a short period of time reimpose all its former sanctions on the existing regime,’ said the initiator of the meeting head of the Open Republic youth NGO Yauhen Kryshtafovich. ‘There is no doubt that changes do not occur within half a year, but, as the MP Herkel and Mr. Kryshtafovich stressed, Lukashenka could have abolish the controversial articles within 30 minutes. The cooperation is only possible in case it is mutual,’ said Ihar Sluchak, Belarusian student of Tartu University.