28.11.2011 Vitsebsk Regional Court turns down picket bans appeal

Vitsebsk Regional Court has dismissed appeals against numerous bans on pickets imposed by the administration of Chyhunachny district during the year.

28.11.2011 Homel court fines People’s Assembly participants

On 28 November, Homel Chyhunachny District Court convicted participants of the 8 October People’s Assembly of involvement in an illegal mass event.

28.11.2011 OSCE PA calls for release of Belarusian rights defender

OSCE Parliamentary Assembly leaders today expressed deep disappointment with yesterday's ruling in the case of Ales Bialiatski, leader of the Belarusian human rights organization Viasna.

28.11.2011 Fines for solidarity with Ales Bialiatski

On 26 November, Minsk Pershamaiski District Court convicted activists of the European Belarus movement of involvement in an action of solidarity with Viasna leader Ales Bialiatski held on the previous day, www.europeanbelarus.org reports.

28.11.2011 Human rights defenders demand not to execute the death verdicts to Dzmitry Kanavalau and Uladzislau Kavaliou

Belarusian human rights defenders strongly condemn the state prosecutor’s request to sentence to death Dzmitry Kanavalau and Uladzislau Kavaliou, defendants in the 11 April 2011 subway bombing trial.

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”.

28.11.2011 Canada Condemns Conviction of Belarusian Human Rights Activist

Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird today condemned the conviction by Belarus of Ales Byalyatski, a long-time human rights defender and head of the human rights organization Vyasna.

28.11.2011 Belarus: Writer sentenced to four and a half years imprisonment over “politically motivated” charges

Human rights activist and Belarus PEN member Ales Byalyatski was sentenced to four and a half years imprisonment on 24 November 2011 on charges of tax evasion. The charges, which stemmed from Byalyatski’s use of personal bank accounts to receive funding for his human rights organization Vyasna, were described as “politically motivated” in a European Union report released earlier this week.

27.11.2011 Sakharov Prize Laureates Campaign to Free Bialiatski

On November 23 in Brussels, at the annual conference of Sakharov Prize Laureates, a campaign was started to collect signatures under the open letter demanding immediate release and full rehabilitation of Ales Bialiatski. The campaign was launched by BAJ chair Zhanna Litvina and head of the civil right movement For Freedom Aliaxandr Milinkievich.

26.11.2011 On Ales Belyatski's Sentence: Statement by International Society 'Memorial'

"The true cause of this criminal case is Ales Belyatski's human rights work in Belarus", says a statement by the Russia-based International Society 'Memorial' released on 24 November.

26.11.2011 UN Panel Criticizes Belarus Over Prisoner Torture

A UN human rights panel has criticized Belarus over what it called "numerous and consistent allegations of widespread torture and ill-treatment of detainees."

26.11.2011 Saint Petersburg police detain participants of picket in support of Ales Bialiatski

Activists of the Russian Memorial human rights NGO Anna Udyarova and Filipp Kostenko were detained by the police while staging a picket of solidarity with Viasna leader Ales Bialiatski outside the Belarusian Consulate Department in Saint Petersburg on 25 November.

26.11.2011 Human rights defenders join in global campaign of support to Ales Bialiatski

On 25 November, activists of numerous FIDH members across the world staged pickets of solidarity with the imprisoned Viasna leader Ales Bialiatski, following a 4.5-year verdict pronounced by Minsk court on 24 November. Cities covered by the campaign include Paris, Brussels, Stockholm, Helsinki, Buenos-Aires, Ankara, Saint Petersburg, Yerevan, Bishkek, Tbilisi, Zagreb, etc.

26.11.2011 Open letter to President Lukashenko by FIDH President

Mr. President,

I am writing to you to call for the immediate and unconditional release of and the dropping of all charges against the FIDH Vice-President Mr. Ales Bialiaski, also President of the Human Rights Center «Viasna», who was sentenced yesterday by the Pervomaiski District Court of Minsk to 4,5 years of strict regime detention and confiscation of his property, including the offices of «Viasna» on charges of « serious tax evasion ».

25.11.2011 European Belarus activists detained while hanging out banner "Freedom to Bialiatski"

Four activists of the "European Belarus" opposition movement were detained by Minsk police while hanging out a banner "Freedom to Bialiatski" this afternoon.