News for January 2021
21.01.2021 Political prisoner Yury Savitski sentenced to 3 years in labor camp, released in courtroom pending appeal
The Kastryčnicki District Court of Minsk sentenced today Yury Savitski, member of Viktar Babaryka’s nomination group, to 3 years of restricted freedom in an open-type penal facility (so-called “khimiya”). Savitski was found guilty of “organization or active participation in group actions that grossly violate public order” (Art. 342 of the Criminal Code) for participating in a post-election protest on August 9. The convict was released in the courtroom to await appeal hearing.
21.01.2021 BHC and Viasna highlight violations in Viktar Babaryka case ahead of upcoming trial
On January 18, the media reported that a criminal case against political prisoner and former Belgazprombank CEO Viktar Babaryka, who has been in custody for eight months, had been forwarded to the Prosecutor General’s Office and was soon expected to be heard at the Supreme Court.
21.01.2021 Civic Solidarity Platform calls for the release of Andrei Aliaksandrau
The undersigned organisations, members of the Civic Solidarity Platform, express their alarm at the arrest of our friend and colleague, journalist Andrei Aliaksandrau.
21.01.2021 PACE General Rapporteur condemns new death sentence in Belarus
Vladimir Vardanyan (Armenia, EPP/CD), General Rapporteur of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) on the abolition of the death penalty, has condemned the handing down in Belarus of a death sentence on Viktar Skrundzik for the murder of two elderly people and an attempt to murder an elderly woman in January 2019.
20.01.2021 Freedom for human rights activists Leanid Sudalenka and Maryia Tarasenka!
Joint statement of Belarusian human rights organizations
20.01.2021 Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders condemns arbitrary detention of Viasna members Leanid Sudalenka and Maria Tarasenka
The Observatory has been informed by the Human Rights Center “Viasna” about the arbitrary detention of Leanid Sudalenka, lawyer of the Homieĺ (Gomel) branch of Viasna, and Maria Tarasenka, Viasna’s volunteer and Mr. Sudalenka’s assistant.
20.01.2021 German and Irish MPs adopt Anastasiya Bulybenka, Tatsiana Yakelchyk and Aliaksei Sanchuk
As part of the solidarity campaign #WeStandBYyou of Libereco, Carina Konrad (FDP), Neale Richmond T.D. (Fine Gael) and Denis Naughten T.D. (Independent) have taken over a godparenthood for political prisoners in Belarus.
19.01.2021 Leanid Sudalenka: “My arrest was lawless. I guess my release will be as lawless!”
Viasna’s human rights activist Leanid Sudalenka left this message on the situation related to the charges he is facing marked “Publish after arrest”.
19.01.2021 Viasna’s Leanid Sudalenka held on criminal charges
Leanid Sudalenka, a human rights activist and head of Viasna’s branch in Homieĺ, was detained last morning, January 18, according to local activist Vasil Paliakou. Sudalenka was then taken to the Investigative Committee’s city office for questioning.
18.01.2021 Immediately release political prisoners Andrei Aliaksandrau and Iryna Zlobina!
Joint statement of Belarusian human rights organizations
16.01.2021 HRDs call for retrials in cases of political prisoners Dzmitry Karatkevich, Andrei Tsimafeyenka and Siarhei Yafimau
Joint statement by the Belarusian human rights community
16.01.2021 Support has no boundaries: how to write letters to political prisoners if you are outside of Belarus
Viasna has prepared the answers to the most frequent questions foreigners ask when writing letters to political prisoners.
16.01.2021 Amnesty International: Leaked audio allegedly exposing top Interior Minister official ordering use of illegal force against peaceful protesters must be effectively investigated
Of the string of incriminating leaks showing that Belarusian authorities crushed peaceful protest through pre-meditated human rights violations, this recording – if authentic – is the most damning. It must be immediately, impartially and effectively investigated.
15.01.2021 Political prisoner Artsiom Miadzvedski sentenced to three years of “restricted freedom”, released in the courtroom
Judge Tatsiana Shotsik of the Lieninski District Court of Minsk sentenced today political prisoner Artsiom Miadzvedski to three years of “restricted freedom” in an open-type penal facility, so called “khimiya”. The convict was released in the courtroom to await appeal hearing.
15.01.2021 Members of the Swiss National Council and the British House of Lords take over godparenthood for Mikalai Dziadok and Stsiapan Latypau
As part of the solidarity campaign #WeStandBYyou of Libereco, Tamara Funiciello (SP) and Lord Foulkes of Cumnock (Labour Party) have taken over a godparenthood for political prisoners in Belarus.
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