The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for August 2020

24.08.2020 “We were trampled in the police bus.” Survivor stories

The Human Rights Center “Viasna” and the World Organization Against Torture (OMCT) launched a campaign to document cases of torture, cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment of protesters on August 9-13. Some testimonies of people who survived torture and violence will be published on our website as evidence of crimes committed by security forces.

24.08.2020 BAJ demands to unblock websites, stop pressure on media, and ensure release of publications

On Friday evening it was reported that the Ministry of Information had restricted access of Belarusian users to websites of a large number of media and political movements. Most well-known of them are Radio Svaboda, Belsat TV, Euroradio, Solidarity newspaper, Udf.by, The Village, By.tribuna.com, Vitebsk Courier, People's News of Vitebsk, Masheka.by, and the website of the Human rights center Viasna.

24.08.2020 Two members of coordination council detained in Minsk

Volha Kavalkova and Siarhei Dyleuski, members of the opposition Coordination Council, have been detained by riot police outside Minsk Tractor Works (MTZ), according to eyewitnesses.

21.08.2020 UN human rights chief calls to release protesters facing criminal charges

The UN Human Rights Office is continuing to follow developments in Belarus which has seen protests and strikes since the presidential election on 9 August.

21.08.2020 Over 60 protesters facing criminal charges across Belarus

The Human Rights Center “Viasna” knows the names of over sixty persons arrested in various cities of Belarus on criminal charges following the post-election protests.

21.08.2020 After 75 days in prison, opposition activist Pavel Seviarynets suspected of plotting riots

Pavel Seviarynets, political prisoner and co-chairman of the Belarusian Christian Democracy party, will not be released after serving 75 days of administrative detention, according to his mother Tatsiana.

21.08.2020 Amnesty International: Criminal case against opposition is a shocking violation of freedom of expression

This development has once again proved that there is no space in Belarus for any opinion that questions or criticizes President Lukashenka’s government. It has extinguished any remaining illusions that the authorities are interested in respecting human rights and the rule of law.

20.08.2020 10 points on torture and ill-treatment reports

After thousands peaceful protesters were detained and hundreds were subjected to inhuman treatment on August 9 and in the following days, the Human Rights Center "Viasna" together with the World Organization against Torture (OMCT) began to collect testimonies of victims and document them.

20.08.2020 Members of opposition coordination council facing “power grab” charges

The authorities have opened a criminal investigation into alleged attempts to seize power targeting members of the Coordination Council, a body formed at the initiative of ousted presidential candidate Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya.

19.08.2020 Volunteer coordinator Marfa Rabkova: "Everyone who has a soul was swept up in a storm of emotions. I was just channeling this energy."

The coordinator of the Service, Marfa Rabkova, tells what brought her to the organization, what efforts were taken during the election campaign and what opportunities for the Volunteer Service she considers for the future.

19.08.2020 HRDs call to release political prisoners held on rioting charges

Joint statement of the Belarusian human rights organizations

19.08.2020 OSCE/ODIHR alarmed by increasing threats to human rights in Belarus following presidential election

Following the large-scale arrests of peaceful protestors in Belarus together with disturbing reports of violent physical abuse, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) calls for the immediate release of all those who have been unlawfully detained and a prompt and impartial investigation into alleged human rights abuses.

19.08.2020 Protester dies from live bullet wound

Henadz Shutau, 43, died today in the military hospital in Minsk after suffering a gunshot wound in the head during a protest in Brest on August 11, tut.by said.

19.08.2020 Prisoner’s Godparenthood for Vitali Shkliarov

As part of the solidarity campaign #WeStandBYyou of Libereco – Partnership for Human Rights, Erhard Grundl (Bundestag, Bündnis90/DieGrünen) demands the immediate and unconditional release of Vitali Shkliarov.

19.08.2020 44 protesters still in detention, 13 missing, one more reported dead

44 people detained during the post-election protests remain in custody, after they were sentenced to short terms of administrative detention, the Ministry of Internal Affairs said.