News on the topic: human rights defenders
08.05.2015 Will amnesty concern political prisoners?
President of Belarus Aliaksandr Lukashenka has passed to the House of Representatives the draft law "On amnesty in connection with the 70th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945". Will this amnesty concern Belarusian political prisoners?
07.05.2015 Valiantsin Stefanovich: It is worth reminding the Ministry of Justice about the position of the UNHRC regarding the non-registration of "Viasna"
In her speech in Geneva at the UPR procedure for Belarus, the representative of the Ministry of Justice Hanna Shpak stated that some groups are capitalizing on their status of unregistered public associations for political reasons. Deputy Head of Human Rights Center "Viasna" Valiantsin Stefanovich, who was present at that meeting, decided that it was worth reminding the officials of the Ministry of Justice about the history of the organization's non-registration.
07.05.2015 UN establishes violation of electoral rights of Leanid Sudalenka
As it became known today, the UN Committee on Human Rights adopted a decision on the complaint of a resident of Homieĺ, Leanid Sudalenka relating to the 2007 local elections.
07.05.2015 Baranavičy: prison guards refuse to pass newspapers to political prisoner Yury Rubtsou
Baranavičy civil society activists Siarhei Housha and Viktar Syrytsa have paid a visit to remand prison No. 6 in Bresckaja Street, 258 in Baranavičy and passed a parcel for the political prisoner Yury Rubtsou.
07.05.2015 Human rights activists demands to amend the Code of Criminal Procedure
Human rights activist Siarhei Ustsinau appealed to the National Center for Legislation and Legal Research with the request to draft a bill on introducing changes to the Criminal Procedure Code of the Republic of Belarus regarding the conduct of the examination.
07.05.2015 Police finish inspection against chief editor of "NAŠ Mahiĺoŭ"
No criminal case under Article 188 part 2 of the Criminal Code of Belarus (libel) will be instituted against Ihar Barysau.
06.05.2015 Yury Rubtsou: "I am going to declare a dry hunger-strike in the case of a closed trial"
The political prisoner Yury Rubtsou has sent a letter to the Human Rights Center "Viasna". In it, he writes that he is still keeping a hunger strike and is not going to stop. In such a way Mr. Rubtsou protests against the instigation of a criminal case under Article 415 of the Penal Code against him, which he considers fraudulent.
06.05.2015 UN Human Rights Committee: Belarus violates the right to life for the fourth time
The UN Committee on Human Rights found a violation of the right to life of Aleh Hryshkautsou, convicted to death by the Hrodna regional court on May 14, 2010. This was reported to BelaPAN by the lawyer Raman Kisliak, who represented the complainant in this international body within the framework of the campaign "Human rights defenders against the death penalty".
06.05.2015 Pavel Sapelka complains about restriction of his right to attend open court hearing
May 4, the issue of changing the regime of deprivation of liberty for Mikalai Statkevich was considered at an exit trial in Škloŭ penal colony №17. The police didn't let in a representative of the European Union, human rights activists and journalists.
06.05.2015 Belarus UPR report of Belarus is heard at UN Human Rights Council
May 4, Belarus presented its national report to the UN Human Rights Council within the framework of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR). This is already the second cycle of the UPR for Belarus. The country reported about the implementation of the recommendations that had been received in the first round of the UPR in 2010.
06.05.2015 Ales Bialiatski: Deteriorating of conditions for political prisoners is closely connected with the pre-election situation in the country
The alleged reason to change the prison regime and transfer the political prisoner Mikalai Statkevich to a cell-type prison is numerous violations of internal regulations of Škloŭ penal colony №17, where he was serving his sentence, and disobedience to the requirements of the colony.
06.05.2015 Supervisory appeal of human rights activist Siarhei Housha turned down
Head of the Brest Regional Court Tamara Suchok dismissed the supervisory complaint of human rights activist Siarhei Housha concerning the ban on a picket devoted to Human Rights Day.
04.05.2015 Political prisoner Mikalai Statkevich to be kept in prison for the rest of his term
The aim of the trial is toughening the prison regime for Mr. Statkevich by transferring him to a cell-type prison facility. The alleged reason for the trial are numerous violations of the internal regulations of the penal colony No. 17 in The Škloŭ by him and his refusal to obey the demands of the colony administration.
04.05.2015 Department of Corrections fails to find any facts of biased attitude to Mikalai Statkevich
Department of Corrections of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Belarus responded to the appeal sent by the educational institution "Center for Legal Transformation" and the Human Rights Center "Viasna" regarding the biased attitude to the political prisoner Mikalai Statkevich on the part of the administration of the penal colony No. 17 in Škloŭ.
04.05.2015 Viciebsk resident Piatro Berlin lodged a complaint with the UN Human Rights Committee
Mr. Berlin was charged with participating in an unsanctioned picketing, whereas in fact he had just taken part in a photo session against the background of a graffiti with birds and cells. Moreover, he was the only one to be sentenced to arrest rather than a fine.
