The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for December 2019

31.12.2019 Happy New Year!

Dear friends, colleagues and associates! We wish you a happy New Year!

23.12.2019 EU, CoE, PACE call for moratorium in response to new execution in Belarus

The spokespersons of the European Union, the Council of Europe, and the CoE’s Parliamentary Assembly have once again called on the Belarusian authorities to introduce a moratorium on executions in Belarus. The statements were released after the news came of another execution in the continent’s last retentionist country.

20.12.2019 Belarus executes another death row prisoner

Death row prisoner Aliaksandr Asipovich was executed by shooting on December 17, according to the Mahilioŭ Regional Prosecutor’s Office.

19.12.2019 Dozens face charges ahead of new protests against Belarus-Russia integration

Nearly forty people have been summoned to the police over their involvement in two protests against planned integration with Russia held in central Minsk on December 7 and 8. The demonstrations were not allowed by the authorities and the city police department had warned the protesters against joining the assemblies.

17.12.2019 Reporters Without Borders: 389 journalists currently in prison worldwide

A total of 49 journalists were killed this year, 389 are currently in prison and 57 are being held hostage, according to the annual worldwide round-up of deadly violence and abusive treatment against journalists, released today by Reporters Without Borders (RSF). Journalism remains a dangerous profession but the number of journalists killed this year is at its lowest in 16 years.

13.12.2019 Picks of the week

Women's rights activists stage artistic protest on Human Rights Day; critical blogger cleared of criminal charges; more people convicted in election aftermath.

11.12.2019 “All human beings are born equal”. Minsk marks Human Rights Day

The Human Rights Center “Viasna” marked December 10, Human Rights Day by opening an exhibition devoted to the topic of the death penalty.

11.12.2019 Ales Bialiatski wins Franco-German prize for human rights and rule of law

Ales Bialiatski, chairman of the Human Rights Center “Viasna”, has been awarded the Franco-German Prize for Human Rights and the Rule of Law in 2019, the embassies of France and Germany in Belarus said.

10.12.2019 Winners of National Human Rights Award announced in Minsk

The National Human Rights Prize has been awarded today at a ceremony in Minsk held to mark the World Human Rights Day.

10.12.2019 In Quest for More Equal Societies, Those Who Defend Human Rights Are Key Agents of Change

Address by Alice Mogwe, FIDH President, on Human Rights Day

06.12.2019 Picks of the week

After a summer lull, when only a few politically motivated cases of persecution were reported by the media, the fall saw a new wave of repression targeting opponents of the current regime.

05.12.2019 Election echo: more activists convicted of illegal protesting

At least eight opposition activists have been found guilty of joining the illegal demonstrations held in central Minsk in November.

04.12.2019 Amnesty International urges Belarus to halt execution of Viktar Paulau

Amnesty International has launched an urgent action calling on its members around the world to write to Belarusian President Aliaksandr Lukashenka. The activists are invited to ask the authorities of Belarus to halt the execution of Viktar Paulau.

03.12.2019 Viasna alerts UN Special Rapporteurs to increased repression of peaceful protesters

Activists of the Human Rights Center “Viasna” have written to the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association, Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, and the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Belarus. The urgent communication comes as a response to the recent boost in repression suffered by the participants in peaceful protests held as part of the parliamentary elections.

03.12.2019 Human Rights Situation in Belarus: November 2019

On November 17, elections of members of the House of Representatives of the 7th convocation were held in Belarus. The only domestic citizen monitoring group, “Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections”, came to the conclusion that the elections of deputies of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of the seventh convocation, in general, did not meet a number of key international standards for democratic and free elections, and the electoral legislation of the Republic of Belarus.