The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for 25 Jun 2014

25.06.2014 We urge the Belarusian authorities to release all political prisoners and to initiate systemic changes aimed at ensuring exercisable human rights

Statement by the Human Rights Center “Viasna” on the release of the organization’s chairman and vice-president of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) Ales Bialiatski.

25.06.2014 Trade union activist Leanid Dubanosau detained in Mikashevichy

Leanid Dubanosau, an independent trade union activist from the town of Mikashevichy, has been detained by police and taken to the local police department, svaboda.org said quoting the activist’s associate Aleh Stakhayevich.

25.06.2014 Great Britain demands release of political prisoners in Belarus

London welcomes the release of Ales Bialatski and calls upon Belarus authorities to release the rest of the political prisoners. This comes from Britain’s Minister for European Affairs David Lidington, BelaPAN reports.

25.06.2014 UN Human Rights Committee registers another complaint from Belarus

The UN Human Rights Committee has registered a complaint by a resident of the village of Buyany, Vitsebsk region, Leanid Zdrestau. The activist had to appeal to the international body for protection after the authorities did not authorize his picket, and all the courts where he was trying to appeal the ban, from the Kastrychnitski District Court of Vitsebsk to the Supreme Court of the Republic of Belarus – sided with the authorities.

25.06.2014 Ex-candidate in Mahiliou seeks responsibility for hooligans who attacked him during local elections

Aliaksei Paulouski, a former candidate in this year’s local elections in Mahiliou, says that local police are trying to hush up the incident in all possible ways.

25.06.2014 BAJ Calls on International Organizations to Protect Journalism Standards

The Belarusian Association of Journalists calls on international journalism organizations to monitor and promote professional standards of reporting on the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

25.06.2014 Mayor of Paris: Ales Bialiatski’s release is a new step on the path to freedom of expression and democracy in the world

A known defender of human rights and freedoms, Ales Bialiatski was sentenced on November 24, 2011 as a result of an unfair trial to four and a half years in prison. His release, after three years in prison, is a new step on the path to freedom of expression and democracy in the world.

25.06.2014 Ales Bialiatski is under prisoner amnesty

Amnesty International welcomes the release of Belarusian prisoner of conscience Ales Bialiatski after nearly three years behind bars. The organizations remains concerned that his release was not unconditional and that two remaining prisoners of conscience remain in prison.

25.06.2014 Belarus: “Rights defender Ales Bialiatski released, but other political prisoners remain in jail” – UN expert

GENEVA (24 June 2014) – The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Belarus, Miklós Haraszti, welcomed the release from prison of human rights defender Ales Bialiatski, but called for the immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners and their full rehabilitation.