The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for March 2021

24.03.2021 Government’s threats and history of crackdown on protesters require urgent international response

Statements made by the Belarusian authorities ahead of demonstrations planned for 25 March (Freedom Day) raise serious concerns that the police response will yet again be marked by severe violence, Amnesty International said today, as it called for international action to protect the rights of peaceful protesters.

24.03.2021 Free all political prisoners in Belarus!

Libereco has launched a petition to the regime in Belarus and calls for the release of all political prisoners in Belarus immediately.

24.03.2021 Joint statement by 19 states in support of the establishment of the International Accountability Platform for Belarus

Statement on behalf of Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States of America

24.03.2021 HRDs launch International Accountability Platform for Belarus

New international accountability platform will contribute to the efforts aimed at ensuring accountability for serious human rights violations in Belarus

23.03.2021 Human rights groups insist on release and retrials for 10 more political prisoners

Joint statement of the Belarusian human rights community

22.03.2021 Freedom for political prisoners Volha Zavadskaya and Mikhail Berkas!

Joint statement of Belarusian human rights organizations

22.03.2021 Political prisoner Dzianis Chykaliou sentenced to 3 years of “khimiya”, released in the courtroom

Judge Alena Bushava sentenced Chykaliou to three years of restricted freedom in an open penitentiary (so called “khimiya”). The convict was released in the courtroom to await an appeal hearing.

19.03.2021 Crackdown on human rights defenders deepens, says UN expert

UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of Human Rights Defenders Mary Lawlor said today she was concerned by an increasing crackdown against human rights defenders in Belarus, citing two cases of suspected reprisals against individuals who have collaborated with the United Nations in promoting and protecting the rights of people with disabilities.

19.03.2021 Political prisoner Yahor Suhoidz sentenced to 2 years in prison

The Centraĺny District Court of Minsk sentenced today political prisoner Yahor Suhoidz to two years in a general-security penal colony, after Judge Viktoryia Shabunia found him guilty under Part 1 of Art. 342 of the Criminal Code.

19.03.2021 Political prisoner Ihar Bantsar free after Hrodna court issues “khimiya” sentence

Judge Natallia Kozel of the Lieninski District Court of Hrodna has sentenced Ihar Bantsar, punk musician and activist, to one and a half years of restricted freedom in an open correctional facility (so called “khimiya”). The convict was released in the courtroom.

18.03.2021 Amnesty International: Life of hunger-striking prisoner at risk

Punk musician, Ihar Bantsar, has been on a hunger strike since 3 March to protest against his prolonged detention on trumped-up criminal charges. He has been imprisoned solely for exercising his rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly and he must be immediately and unconditionally released.

18.03.2021 Authorities step up pressure on Viasna activists

Several human rights defenders working with the Human Rights Center “Viasna” have been questioned in criminal proceedings over the past few days, as the authorities continue to investigate the organization’s alleged involvement in the financing of the post-election protests.

18.03.2021 Minsk courts convict two more political prisoners

Political prisoners Siarhei Bryl and Ivan Datsyshyn have been convicted in protest-related trials.

17.03.2021 Hunger strikes and suicide attempts by political prisoners in Belarus: German Members of Parliament show their solidarity

Political prisoners in Belarus protest against inhuman conditions in prison by starting hunger strikes. Two of the detainees have attempted to take their own lives in the past weeks.

17.03.2021 End reprisals against human rights defenders

Joint statement by Amnetsy International, FIDH, IMS, Norwegian Helsinki Committee, Human Rights Watch, Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights, Front Line Defenders, IPHR, and People in Need.