News on the topic: Viasna
25.01.2012 Statement: Viasna strongly condemns use of torture, intimidation, blackmail and other intolerable kinds of harassment against prisoners of conscience
Minsk – 25 January 2012 The Human Rights Center “Viasna” strongly condemns the use of torture, intimidation, blackmail and other intolerable kinds of harassment against prisoners of conscience. Of especial concern is the recent report by Mrs. Iryna Khalip, the wife of former presidential candidate Andrei Sannikau, saying that the prisoner’s life is at risk due to the reported use of torture and inhuman treatment against him.
25.01.2012 Viasna won’t stop working!
Despite yesterday’s ruling by the Minsk City Court confirming the 4.5-year prison term to Viasna leader Ales Bialiatski, the Human Rights Center “Viasna” will continue its activities on a regular basis in the office it has occupied unless the premises are seized.
20.01.2012 Valiantsin Stefanovich appeals court ruling in tax trial
On 19 January, deputy chair of the Human Rights Center “Viasna” Valiantsin Stefanovich lodged a complaint with Minsk City Court demanding to reverse an earlier decision of 16 December 2011 by Minsk Partyzanski District Court to exact 56 mln. rubles of fine for alleged tax violations.
11.01.2012 “Viasna” demands immediate release of Siarhei Kavalenka from jail
The Human Rights Center "Viasna" calls on the Belarusian authorities to immediately stop the persecution of the activist of the Conservative-Christian Party “Belarusian Popular Front” Siarhei Kavalenka.
23.12.2011 Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders: Press Release on Sentencing of Viasna Vice-Chairman Valiantsin Stefanovich
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), condemns the sentencing of Mr. Valiantsin Stefanovich, Vice-Chairman of the Human Rights Centre “Viasna”, by to a fine of 53 million rubles (about 4,840 euros).
12.12.2011 Human Rights Day marked all over Belarus
On 10 December Belarusian human rights activists held actions in many Belarusian towns and cities to celebrate the 63rd anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
02.12.2011 Deputy Chairman of the Human Rights Center “Viasna” Valiantsin Stefanovich is tried today
The administrative trial on exaction of taxes from Valiantsin Stefanovich started at the Partyzanski District Court of Minsk at 10 a.m on 1 December. It was to have taken place back on 15 November, but was postponed as the defendant couldn't attend it for family reasons.
01.12.2011 Bialiatski's lawyer files appeal against court verdict
On 29 November lawyer Dzmitry Layeuski filed an appeal against the verdict of the Pershamaiski District Court of Minsk to human rights defender Ales Bialiatski with the Minsk City Court.
01.12.2011 KGB breaks unlawfully confiscated appliances
Human rights activist Ales Kaputski was returned his equipment seized during a search on 25 December 2010, in connection with a criminal case over “mass disorders”.
28.11.2011 Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders condemns ongoing judicial harassment against Mr. Valiantsin Stefanovich
The Observatory has been informed by reliable sources of a new hearing planned for December 2, 2011 against Mr. Valiantsin Stefanovich, Vice-Chairman of the Human Rights Centre “Viasna”.
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”.
15.11.2011 “The honorable guest is unable to attend the Politiken Freedom Prize awarding ceremony”
This was repeated again and again during the ceremony in Copenhagen on 14 November, at which the Danish edition Politiken awarded its Freedom Prize to Ales Bialiatski and the Human Rights Center “Viasna”, headed by him. A poster with a graphic portrait of Ales Bialiatski hung on the wall to symbolize the symbolic presence of the prize-holder.
11.11.2011 Ales Bialiatski to be given new charges on 16 November
On 10 November the trial of Ales Bialiatski, Chairman of the Human Rights Center “Viasna”, continued at the Pershamaiski District Court of Minsk.
09.11.2011 A new film in support of Ales Bialiatski (video)
The trial against Mr. Ales Bialiatski, FIDH Vice-President and President of the Human Rights Center “Viasna” (Belarus), currently arbitrarily detained in relation with his human rights activities, is presently taking place in Minsk. In many States of the Eastern Europe and Central Asia region, human rights defenders are facing similar harsh repression: obstacles to freedoms of assembly and association, hindrances to NGO registration, criminalisation of unregistered organisations, obstacles of access to funding, judicial harassment and arbitrary detentions.
09.11.2011 Ales Bialiatski points at those who ordered the criminal case
"I state that this case was instigated and conducted with evident political motives, with the aim to persecute members of the Human Rights Center “Viasna”, including me, for human rights activities," - stated Ales Bialiatski on 4 November, during the third day of the trial. To confirm his words, he read some documents from the first volume of criminal case # 11081100188, which were just mentioned by the prosecutor during the study of the case.
