The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for December 2010

24.12.2010 We invite You to join the Action “A Christmas Card for the prisoners”

Famous Belarusan rock-musician Lavon Volski and human rights center “Viasna” address all famous people – leaders of public opinion both in Belarus and abroad. They ask musicians, writers, poets, artists, sportsmen to congratulate the imprisoned after peaceful protests in Minsk on December 19 and send the prisoners Christmas cards. “You are famous people, so let’s make a Christmas miracle – lighten the cells in prisons!”.

24.12.2010 BELARUS: Crackdown on peaceful demonstrators and activists. FIDH's member organisation in Belarus HRC “Viasna” raided

Paris, December 20, 2010 - The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) expresses its grave concern regarding the human rights situation in Belarus, particularly in the context of the Presidential elections of December 19, 2010 after which riot police brutally dispersed a demonstration protesting against the unfair conduct of the election. Riot police beat and detained hundreds of persons, including three presidential candidates, as well as Aleh Hulak, Chairman of the Belarusian Helsinki Committee and coordinator of the “Human Rights Defenders for Free Election” election monitoring campaign. He is apparently currently facing charges.

23.12.2010 25 appeals submitted by Vitsebsk observers

According to information provided by Vitsebsk human rights defenders, local observers have lodged 25 complaints with the Central Election Commission, calling for avoid the voting results at a number of the city’s polling stations.

23.12.2010 Baranavichy authorities ignore appeals by local observers

Baranavichy independent observers keep appealing the voting results, by submitting numerous complaints to local election bodies.

23.12.2010 Niakliayeu’s Brest election agent appeals election violations

Mikalai Koush, election agent of Uladzimir Niakliayeu’s campaign team, has addressed Brest Maskouski District election commission with a statement, arguing that “numerous facts are indicative of the blatant violations of the Electoral Code during the 2010 presidential election.”

23.12.2010 International HR groups demand release of EHU students and teachers

Numerous human rights organizations, including the Human Rights House Foundation (Norway), the Belarusian Human Rights House in exile (Lithuania), Civil Belarus (Czech Republic), Belarus Watch (Lithuania) address Belarusian President Lukashenka with a letter, condemning the brutal crackdown on peaceful protesters, detentions and battery of journalists, human rights defenders and opposition candidates during the 19 December post-election rally in Minsk.

23.12.2010 "Reporters without Borders" demand to release journalists

The international human rights organization "Reporters without Borders" demands to release the journalists detained on December 19 in Minsk, reports BelaPAN.

23.12.2010 BHC appeals election results

On 22 December, representatives of the Belarusian Helsinki Committee submitted an appeal to the Central Election Commission, demanding to declare the presidential election results fraudulent.

23.12.2010 Ramanchuk’s election agents face obstacles in appealing voting results

Salihorsk district election commission and the local prosecutor’s office refused to register appeals against alleged election violations at some of the town’s polling stations

23.12.2010 Dozens Belarusian writers demand release of Uladzimir Niakliayeu

A number of famous Belarusian writers and poets released a joint statement, demanding immediate release of presidential candidate Uladzimir Niakliayeu, beaten up and detained on 19 December in Minsk.

23.12.2010 UN human rights chief demands immediate release of opposition candidates and their supporters

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, has issued a statement demanding the immediate release of opposition presidential candidates and their supporters who were arrested over Sunday's post-election demonstration in Minsk although they "did not call for and were not involved in any violence." BelaPAN

23.12.2010 Police say that they identified most of people who took part in «mass riots» on December 19

The police announced on Wednesday that they had identified most of the people who they said took part in "mass riots" in Minsk on December 19.

23.12.2010 British Foreign Secretary calls on Belarusian authorities to inform where Nyaklyaeu is

British Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Willian Hague called on the Belarusian authorities to release all the detained during the non-sanctioned action in Minsk on December 19 immediately and to start a dialogue with the Belarusian opposition. The statement was published by the Embassy of the United Kingdom in Minsk.

23.12.2010 Presidential candidate Uladzimir Nyaklyaeu's family and lawyer do not know his whereabouts

The presidential candidate Uladzimir Nyaklyaeu's family and his lawyer have not received any information about his health condition for several days, reports "Gazeta.Ru"

22.12.2010 Another suspect in “mass riot” case

Former presidential candidate Dzmitry Us has been reportedly declared as another target in the criminal investigation into the 19 December “mass riots” in Minsk’s Nezalezhnastsi Square.