The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for January 2023

18.01.2023 First verdict under “special proceeding” trial pronounced

Black Book of Belarus project admins receive 12 years in jail in an in absentia trial.

17.01.2023 The trial in absentia of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya starts in Minsk

Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, Pavel Latushka, Volha Kavalkova, Maryia Maroz, and Siarhei Dyleuski were charged under 12 criminal articles.

16.01.2023 Trial against Viasna: Days 6 and 7

Witnesses refuse to come to court, Stefanovic claims that they were pressurized in pre-trial detention, and Labkovich asks for medics once again.

16.01.2023 Twelve people recognized political prisoners over politically motivated persecution

“People's” article 342 remains the regime's favorite tool for jailing the protesters.

16.01.2023 Viasna’s lawyer Pavel Sapelka comments on the trial of his colleagues: "This is a crackdown on human rights defenders in the guise of justice"

Since 5 January, the Leninski District Court of Minsk has been housing proceedings in the Viasna Case brought against Ales Bialiatski, Valiantsin Stefanovich, and Uladzimir Labkovich. We have discussed the proceedings with our colleague, Viasna’s lawyer Pavel Sapelka.

13.01.2023 Testimonies by Secret Witnesses and Interrogation of Customs Officers: Fourth and Fifth Court Sessions in Viasna Case

On January 11 and 12, the trial of the Viasna case continued in the Lieninsky District Court of Minsk. The defendants Ales Bialiatski, the chairman of the Viasna Human Rights Center and a Nobel laureate, his deputy Valiantsin Stefanovic, and the coordinator of the Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections campaign Uladzimir Labkovich are being tried according to Part 4 of Art. 228 (‘Smuggling by an organized group’) and Part 2 of Art. 342 of the Criminal Code (‘Financing of group actions that grossly violate public order’). The human rights defender Zmitser Salauyou, who had to leave Belarus due to criminal prosecution, is also being tried in absentia. The infamous Judge Maryna Zapasnik is considering the case, and Prosecutor Aliaksandr Karol supports the state prosecution. We will tell you what happened at the fourth and fifth court sessions in the high-profile case against the human rights defenders of Viasna.

13.01.2023 Out of jail! In December, 31 political prisoners were released

Twenty-four people fully served their jail time and another seven received non-custodial sentences.

13.01.2023 Both persecuted artist Ales Pushkin: what is known about prosecutor and judge in Viasna case

Zapasnik’s gavel has decided the fate of many well-known public figures, activists, and protesters. Karol has eyewitnessed political prisoners cutting their veins and stomach in the courtroom during ‘political’ trials. This is what is known to Viasna about the prosecutor and the judge in the Viasna case.

12.01.2023 Belarus in HRW's World report 2022: Mass peaceful protests wound down but repressions continue

Human Rights Watch has published World Report 2022, an annual review of the human rights situation in the world. Belarus chapter provides information about the governmental repressions against civil society in 2022.

11.01.2023 “Gas sprayed into ventilation reached us”: Akrescina facilities detention conditions throughout 2022 in detainees own words

Viasna's month-by-month chronicle shows the scale of repression and how the methods of pressure on Belarusians used by law enforcers and authorities have (not) changed throughout 2022.

11.01.2023 Administrative prosecution in 2022: At least 6,380 arrests

Viasna's yearly review of the administrative prosecution on political grounds.

10.01.2023 Trial against Viasna leadership: Day 3

Uladzimir Labkovich asks for medical help. Rights defenders reiterate their demands to take off the handcuffs.

09.01.2023 Human rights defender and journalist Yekaterina Yanshina jailed for 15 days for covering the Viasna trial

Ten human rights organization call for the end of the judicial harassment against her, and all other human rights defenders in the country.

09.01.2023 UN expresses grave concerns with trials in Belarus

The organization calls to drop the charges against Viasna members and immediately release them.

09.01.2023 Political prisoners in Belarus in 2022. Infographics

In 2022, arrests, torture, and criminal proceedings on political grounds against Belarusians continued. Viasna shares figures on political prisoners for 2022.