The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

06.04.2017 Immediately release political prisoner Viachaslau Kasinerau

We believe that Viachaslau Kasinerau is a political prisoner and urge the Belarusian authorities to drop the criminal charges against him and to immediately release the activist.

26.12.2016 Uladzimir Kondrus sentenced to 1.5 years of personal restraint and forced treatment

The Court of Maskoŭski district of Minsk sentenced today Uladzimir Kondrus, the last defendant in the December 2010 riot trial, to 1.5 years of personal restraint and forced outpatient treatment, finding the defendant to be partially insane, which was taken into account as a mitigating circumstance. The sentence also absorbed the period of pre-trial detention.

18.11.2016 Political prisoner Uladzimir Kondrus attempts to cut wrists in courtroom, trial postponed till mid-December

On November 16, the Court of Maskoŭski district of Minsk opened a hearing of criminal charges brought against Uladzimir Kondrus for his alleged involvement in riots outside the Government House in December 2010.

29.10.2016 Palchys given non-custodial sentence, released in court

Eduard Palchys, the founder of pro-opposition website 1863x.com, was released in court on Friday after a judge imposed a non-custodial sentence on him.

21.09.2016 EU insists on reinstatement of former political prisoners’ civil and political rights

“In 2015 the overall human rights situation in Belarus remained marked by systematic human rights violations,” says the Annual report on human rights and democracy in the world approved by the EU Council on September 20.

17.08.2016 Mikhail Zhamchuzhny appeals sentence to Supreme Court

On August 1, political prisoner Mikhail Zhamchuzhny sent to the Deputy Chairman of the Supreme Court a supervisory appeal against the 6.5-year sentences he is serving in prison outside Barysaŭ, according to a letter received by the Human Rights Center "Viasna".

12.08.2016 Ales Bialiatski calls for solidarity with political prisoner Uladzimir Kondrus

Viasna leader Ales Bialiatski has sent a postcard to Uladzimir Kondrus and encourages everyone to express their support for the political prisoner, who is currently held in the Minsk detention facility in Valadarski Street.

10.08.2016 Human rights defenders recognize Uladzimir Kondrus political prisoner

We reaffirm our position, which is that the actions of Uladzimir Kondrus cannot be categorized under Art. 293 of the Criminal Code, while the statute of limitations of other articles of the Criminal Code, under which they could have been qualified, has already expired.

22.07.2016 Viasna calls to end harassment of Andrei Bandarenka and Mikhail Zhamchuzhny in prison

Ales Bialiatski, chairman of the Human Rights Center "Viasna", has sent a petition to the Minister of the Interior and the Prosecutor General, urging the officials to put an end to the harassment of human rights defenders Andrei Bandarenka and Mikhail Zhamchuzhny currently serving their sentences in Mahilioŭ and Navasady.

08.07.2016 Political prisoner Zhamchuzhny reports harassment in prison

Political prisoner Mikhail Zhamchuzhny is facing severe harassment ‘on all fronts’ in penal colony No. 14 near Barysaŭ, according to his recent letters.

25.05.2016 Azerbaijani Supreme Court frees jounalist Khadija Ismayilova

Azerbaijan’s Supreme Court has freed RFE/RL journalist Khadija Ismayilova from prison, RFE/RL's Azerbaijani Service reports.

17.05.2016 EU: Former Political Prisoners Must Be Vindicated

The EU is still concerned about human rights issue in Belarus.

08.02.2016 Belarusian government sees no politics in Yury Rubtsou’s case

The Belarusian government has responded to a complaint submitted to the UN Human Rights Committee on behalf of former political prisoner Yury Rubtsou. The letter says that Rubtsou was not prosecuted for expressing his opinion, but for disobeying a lawful order from a police officer.

05.02.2016 Court in Vaŭkavysk removes police supervision of Mikalai Autukhovich

On February 4, the Vaŭkavysk District Court ruled to cancel the preventive supervision of former political prisoner Mikalai Autukhovich, after 22 months of restrictive measures.