26.09.2011 Stefanovich set to return to Minsk on 29 September

Viasna lawyer Valiantsin Stefanovich is going to return to Belarus on 29 September, after over a month spent abroad, following the arrest of Viasna leader Ales Bialiatski, Radio Racyja reports.

26.09.2011 Viasna’s PCs donated to boarding school

On 23 September, the personal computers seized by the KGB from the Human Rights Center “Viasna” were donated to a boarding school in Orsha.

25.09.2011 Statement of the FIDH President, Souhayr Belhassen, on the occasion of Ales Bialiatski birthday

September 25 – the birthday of Ales Bialiatski, the Vice President of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the head of the Human Rights center Viasna, a member organization of FIDH in Belarus, who has been held in detention in Minsk since August 4, 2011.

15.09.2011 Human Rights Center Viasna: 15 years of persecution

Since its inception in 1996, the human rights organization “Viasna 96”, and then the Human Rights Center Viasna was consequently and ruthlessly persecuted by the Belarusian authorities. All members of this organization were subject to detention, beatings, raids, arrests and fines. A complete list of the facts of persecution would take more than a dozen pages. However, most often the lightning of the state anger fell on the highest point of the organization, its head Ales Bialiatski.

11.09.2011 Colleagues from New York, Mexico, Managua, Bogotá, Lima, Buenos Aires sent a letter in solidarity to Ales Bialiatski

“Freedom, Sancho, is one of the most precious gifts that heaven gave men. The treasures of the earth and sea are not equal to it. One can and must risk one’s life for freedom, and for honor.”

(Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra)

08.09.2011 Statement of HRC Viasna about conditions for dialogue with Belarusian authorities

If there are political prisoners, a dialogue is impossible. There is a great risk of taking new political hostages by the authorities if the political system is not transformed.

08.09.2011 Confiscated computers are returned to Viasna

D.Dyshchanka, investigator of the Main Police Bureau of the Minsk City Executive Committee, passed to human rights defenders the computers and other items that had been confiscated during the search held at the office on 20 December 2010. However, several laptops that were confiscated during the second search, held on 17 January 2011, are still at the disposal of the KGB.

07.09.2011 Fantastic know-how of Baranavichy authorities

As it follows from the answer received on 6 September 2011 by Baranavichy-based human rights defender Siarhei Housha from Dz. Kastsiukevich, Deputy Chair of the the Baranavichy City Executive Committee, the authorities prohibited holding a picket in support of Ales Bialiatski again.

02.09.2011 Bialiatski's lawyer passed passes 816 personal guarantees to Financial Investigations Department

On 2 September the lawyer of Ales Bialiatski passed 816 personal guarantees for Ales Bialiatski to the Minsk City and Region Financial Investigations Department of the State Control Committee. The signers of the papers ask the investigations to change the restraint to the human rights defender to a written undertaking not to leave.

31.08.2011 Well-known Czech human rights defenders sign personal guarantee for Ales Bialiatski

A number of famous public figures and human rights activists signed personal guarantees for the arrested Chair of the Human Rights Center Viasna Ales Bialiatski. All in all, 54 such papers were passed by them.

29.08.2011 Valiantsin Stefanovich set to return to Belarus

Viasna activist Valiantsin Stefanovich says he is going to return to Belarus in a month, despite the fact his bank account details have also been disclosed by the Lithuanian Ministry of Justice, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reports, quoting www.delfi.lt.

08.08.2011 Foreign diplomats express support to Viasna

On 5 August Michael Scanlan, Chargé d'Affaires ad interim of the United States in Belarus, and Christopher Panico, First Secretary of The U.S. Embassy in Minsk, visited Minsk office of the Human Rights Center Viasna in connection with the arrest of Ales Bialiatski.

08.07.2011 Human Rights Center Viasna expresses solidarity with regional human rights defenders

The Human Rights Center Viasna states its solidarity with the Belarusian human rights defenders who were detained during the silent protest actions in different parts of Belarus.

15.06.2011 Ales Bialiatski: “Freedom Award is an echo of 19 December events”

Ales Bialiatski, Chair of the Human Rights Center Viasna, commented on awarding the Freedom Prize to Viasna, the Belarusian Association of Journalists and the Free Theater by the Atlantic Council of the United States.

09.06.2011 FIDH and Viasna demand to stop cruel treatment and torture of Mikita Likhavid

The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the Human Rights Centre Viasna demand to stop cruel treatment and torture of political prisoner Mikita Likhavid