The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for May 2016

31.05.2016 Prison authorities prevent death convict from writing to UN Human Rights Committee

According to information received by human rights defenders, there have been no letters from death convict Henadz Yakavitski since May 11. As a result, his relatives feared that the prisoner could have been executed.

27.05.2016 Viasna website blocked again

The Belarusian authorities have enforced another blocking of access to the website of the Human Rights Center “Viasna”. In particular, employees of government institutions cannot access the resource, which is “blocked under the laws of the Republic of Belarus.”

27.05.2016 Protesters charged over support for jailed activist

Several opposition activists faced administrative charges following yesterday’s picket held outside the Valadarka jail in Minsk.

27.05.2016 UN Special Rapporteur publishes report on situation of human rights in Belarus

"The systemic curtailment of human rights in Belarus has not changed," says Miklós Haraszti, UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Belarus, in his Report to be presented at the 32nd session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva.

26.05.2016 FIDH calls on international community to support extension of UN Special Rapporteur on Belarus’ mandate

On 30 June, the U.N. Human Rights Council will vote on whether or not to renew the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Belarus. It is essential for the future of the citizens of this country to keep the Special Rapporteur in place.

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.

24.05.2016 Common position of Belarusian human rights defenders ahead of the next round of the EU-Belarus human rights dialogue

The country's leading human rights groups say there is no significant progress or systemic changes in the field of human rights and freedoms in Belarus, urging the government to develop a National Human Rights Plan.

23.05.2016 Amnesty International launches urgent action in support of death convict Siarhei Khmialeuski

"Siarhei Khmialeuski, who was sentenced to death in Belarus in February, is at imminent risk of execution," Amnesty International said on May 20 urging President Lukashenka to establish an immediate moratorium on executions with a view to abolition of the death penalty.

20.05.2016 FIDH President congratulates Viasna on 20th anniversary

FIDH President Karim Lahidji has congratulated Viasna on its 20th anniversary.

19.05.2016 Man sentenced to death in Homieĺ

The Homieĺ Regional Court sentenced today Siarhei Vostrykau, 33, to death on charges of raping and murdering two women.

17.05.2016 Reporter Gets Moral Damage Compensation for Unlawful Imprisonment in KGB

In 2012, a reporter and then a student of journalism department Anton Surapin spent a month in the KGB detention center for allegedly aiding the teddy bear air drop team.

17.05.2016 Amendments to Internet Control Prepared Secretly from the Public

On April 21, in the annual speech addressed to the Belarusian people, Aliaksandr Lukashenko told that the Ministry of Information had been charged with a task to draft a new law to control the Internet.

17.05.2016 EU: Former Political Prisoners Must Be Vindicated

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

17.05.2016 Activists demonstrate in central Minsk on World Day Against Homophobia

Several rights activists picketed today in central Minsk to mark the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia.

16.05.2016 Activist in Maladziečna sentenced to 7 days in jail over green protest

Pavel Siarhei has been sentenced to 7 days of administrative arrest for being involved in a protest against the construction of a major pig farm in the town of Maladziečna, Minsk region, according to local human rights activist Ales Kaputsky.