The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

03.10.2011 Brest authorities ban picket in support of political prisoners

Viktar Chaikouski, Deputy Chair of the civil association of entrepreneurs Perspective, received an answer from the Brest City Executive Committee to his applications for authorizing a number of pickets calling to stop the politically motivated harassment and torture of civil and political activists.

03.10.2011 Iryna Khalip addresses Putin's and Medvedev's wives

The open letter of journalist and wife of the Belarusian ex-presidential candidate Andri Sannikau Iryna Khalip has been published in today's issue of the Russian “Novaya Gazeta”. Iryna turns the attention of Lyudmila Putina and Svetlana Medvedeva to the fact that the situation with Andrei Sannikau is crucial.

03.10.2011 Presidential candidate Dzmitry Uss was granted parole

The political prisoner was freed on Lukashenka's pardon decree in the evening of 1 October.

30.09.2011 EU leaders issue declaration condemning Belarus for its "deteriorating" human rights record

The leaders of the European Union’s member countries issued a declaration condemning Belarus for its "deteriorating" record on human rights and rule of law as a result of the September 29-30 EU Eastern Partnership summit in Warsaw after the delegations of five post-Soviet nations participating in the Eastern Partnership – Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine – had spoken out against including a paragraph to this effect in the summit’s joint declaration.

30.09.2011 Andrei Sannikau is in Babruisk colony

He was transported from Mahilyou to Babruisk at 7 p.m. yesterday.

29.09.2011 Measures for release of political prisoners considered at OSCE conference

On 28 September, Warsaw hosted a side-event “Ales Bialiatski: a symbolic case of the restrictions to political and civil rights in Belarus after the 2010 presidential elections” as part of the OSCE Human Dimension Conference, arranged by a coalition of a number of human rights organizations: the Norwegian Helsinki Committee, the Polish Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights, the World Organization against Torture (OMCT), Amnesty International, the Human Rights House Network, Human Rights Watch, Front Line, the International Federation for Human Rights and the Human Rights Center “Viasna”.

28.09.2011 Khalip: The situation is crucial. Sannikau and Dashkevich may not come out

Andrej Sannikau urged to save Zmitser Dashkevich through his lawyer and told that he was threatened with death during transportation.

27.09.2011 NGOs’ Assembly: Release of political prisoners is first step towards possible dialogue

The working group of the Assembly of Pro-Democratic NGOs of Belarus has adopted two statements concerning the possible dialogue of the authorities with society and the prospects of the EU-Belarus relations within the European Partnership programme.

26.09.2011 Dzmitry Us transferred to Minsk hospital

The relatives have not been informed about the reasons for that.

26.09.2011 No parcels for Dashkevich allowed

Mrs. Tatsiana Seviarynets, Vitsebsk regional coordinator of the Belarusian Christian Democracy, has not been allowed sending a food and clothes parcel to the imprisoned Young Front leader and BCD activist Zmitser Dashkevich, who has been recently transported to Vitsebsk penal colony and is currently awaiting transfer, the Belarusian Christian Democracy press-service reports.

26.09.2011 Radoslaw Sikorski: Rehabilitation of all political prisoners needed

The European Union will adhere to its principles and insist on full rehabilitation of all Belarusian political prisoners.

26.09.2011 Is Andrej Sannikau in Mahiliou detention center?

Interior Ministry's department on serving punishments has informed this to his wife Iryna Khalip on September 26.

23.09.2011 Viasna demands to stop harassment of Sannikau and Dashkevich

The Human Rights Center “Viasna” expresses its concern over the transfers of political prisoners Andrei Sannikau and Zmitser Dashkevich.

23.09.2011 Zmitser Dashkevich found at Vitsebsk detention center

Young Front leader Zmitser Dashkevich is currently held at Vitsebsk detention center, Radio Racyja reports, quoting Mrs. Tatsiana Seviarynets, the Belarusian Christian Democracy local coordinator.