Latest news about jailed Viasna human rights defenders
We collected news on Viasna team members who are behind bars.
Ales Bialiatski's international legal team have filed a petition with the UN Working Group on arbitrary detention
The international legal team of Nobel Peace Prize laureate, political prisoner and Viasna human rights activist Ales Bialiatski has submitted a petition to the UN Working Group on arbitrary detention.
Jared Genser, Bialiatski’s lead pro bono counsel, is author of the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention: Commentary and Guide to Practice. Commenting on the submission to the Working Group, Genser remarked:
“I am honored to represent Ales Bialiatski, who has fought tirelessly for human rights, democracy, and the protection of civic space in Belarus for decades. His case is emblematic of the fear that Belarus dictator Aleksandr Lukashenka has of his own people and the systematic way in which he has decapitated every real or imagined threat to his rule. This reign of terror shows Lukashenka’s cowardice and his profound weakness. He is undeniably afraid of his own people. We will not give up until Ales and all the political prisoners are free."
"Many of us are thinking about you, Ales." David Van Reybrouck wrote a Christmas letter to Bialiatski
- David Van Reybrouck
David Van Reybrouck is a Belgian writer, former chairman of the PEN Club of Flanders, and now ambassador of the PEN Club for Ales Bialiatski. He wrote a Christmas letter to Bialiatski, which was published on the organization's website.
"Dear Mr. Bialiatski,
Dear Ales,We don't know each other, but I am writing to you from Brussels, where I live. My name is David Van Reybrouck, I am a writer and honorary chairman of the PEN Club of Flanders, one of the two Belgian branches of the International PEN Club.
I would like to write to you in your native language, but unfortunately I have to use a translator program to translate my letter into Russian. I hope it doesn't contain too many translation errors. And if so, I hope they turn out to be funny. <...>
Is there any reason to smile in your current situation, Ales? How is it possible to be a Nobel laureate and a political prisoner? Do you have opportunities to read? Can you receive and reply to mail?
The PEN Club of Flanders recently asked me to act as an ambassador for your cause for the next two years*. I will always take your portrait with me to lectures and speeches. Regardless of the subject of the lecture — we will mainly talk about colonialism, climate, and democracy — I will always tell the audience about your work and your life. I'm doing this out of respect for your courage.
Know that many of us are thinking about you, Ales. Know that with each lecture, I try to make the group that thinks about you grow bigger and bigger. Your voice continues to sound. <...>
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year,
David"
* An empty chair is the concept of the International PEN club, symbolizing the author who cannot attend due to imprisonment. For two years (from November 2023 to November 2025), representatives of the PEN Club of Flanders have been traveling to events in various parts of the world with an empty chair to draw attention to their colleague who is serving a prison sentence.
Wake-up time is 5 a.m. in a concrete cell, presumably in solitary confinement: these are conditions in which Ales Bialiatski is being held
Lawyer Natallia Matskevich spoke about human rights defender Ales Bialiatski in an interview with Zhizn-Malina
"At the end of the 80s, Ales Bialiatski took this path, and he goes on without turning anywhere, despite the risks and threats; he understands all this and consciously accepts it. He always seems to know what he is doing, and a very cohesive and competent human rights movement has formed behind him. I'm not even talking about the huge number of people that human rights defenders have helped," Natallia Matskevich said.
It has been 900 days since the arrest of Ales Bialiatski, Valiantsin Stefanovich, and Uladzimir Labkovich
On July 14, 2021, they and other Viasna activists were searched. The human rights defenders were accused of "smuggling" and "financing group actions that grossly violate public order."
On March 3, judge Maryna Zapasnik sentenced Viasna activists to long terms: Uladzimir Labkovich to 7 years in a penal colony, Valiantsin Stefanovich to 9 years in a penal colony, Ales Bialiatski to 10 years in a penal colony. The human rights defenders have not admitted their guilt under any article that was imputed to them.
In December, political prisoners and human rights defenders were added to the "list of extremists".
Support them with letters and postcards of solidarity:Penal colony No. 9, 213410, Horki, vul. Dabraliubava, 16, Penal colony No. 15, 213105, Mahileu, Veina, Slauharadskaja shasha 183, to Penal colony No. 17, 213004, Shklou, vul. 1-ja Zavodskaja 8, to |
1200 days have passed since Marfa Rabkova is behind bars
Coordinator of Viasna’s volunteer network was detained on September 17, 2020. Later, the human rights defender was accused under a number of articles of the Criminal Code for the events of 2016–2020 and sentenced to 15 years in prison.
Following the appeal, Marfa's sentence was reduced by three months. The verdict came into force and Rabkova was transferred to the Homieĺ colony.
Lawyer Natallia Matskevich spoke about Marfa Rabkova in an interview with Zhizn-Malina
"I always worry about Maryia Rabkova. She is fragile and very strong at the same time. She was my student, and she is so smart: if you look at her texts, the way she speaks, how deeply she understands things. She had a very hard time in jail and I think it's very difficult for her now. But she endures it steadfastly. She is a human rights activist, and she said that if she got out, she would devote a lot of time to improving the situation of women in detention."
A book about female political prisoners of Belarus titled If You Go through Hell, Don't Stop published in Germany
The publication includes letters from imprisoned human rights defenders Marfa Rabkova from Viasna and Nasta Loika from Human Constanta. One of them is Marfa's letter to Nasta while the latter was not imprisoned.
"I will do my best to educate, bring knowledge, and protect human rights regardless of borders, time, and place. Regardless of all the circumstances," Marfa wrote from SIZO-1.
On January 6, the coordinator of Viasna volunteer service celebrated her 29th birthday
This is the fourth birthday that the human rights defender celebrates behind bars.
Marfa Rabkova's "godmother" congratulated the political prisoner on her birthday: "You inspire many people far beyond the borders of Belarus"
Agnieszka Brugger and Marfa Rabkova. Collage by spring96.org
The deputy of the German Bundestag Agnieszka Brugger, who is the "godmother" of the Viasna human rights activist, wrote a poignant birthday letter to Marfa as part of the #WeStandByYou campaign.
"Dear Marfa!
On your 29th birthday, I wish you, first of all, good health, preserving your incredible courage, strength, endurance, and all the best. With your commitment to democracy, human rights and freedom, you inspire many people far beyond the borders of Belarus.
The incredibly harsh punishment for your peaceful commitment to democracy and human rights in Belarus shocked me and many other deputies of the German Bundestag. We are also very concerned about your health..."
We call you to congratulate Marfa Rabkova on her birthday!Penal colony No. 4. 246035, Homiel, vul. Antoshkina, 3 |
Recently there has been no news about a volunteer of Viasna Andrei Chapiuk
Send letters or postcards of solidarity to Andrei:Penal colony No. 22. 225295, Brest region, Ivatsevichy, Damanava, PO box 20, |
How else to support Viasna team?
1. Letters of solidarity are the strongest support from outside. You can send your letters via regular mail, as well as through electronic services:
You can also send telegrams at the post office or by phone number 166 (only from the landline) and dictate the text. Do not forget to leave your name in the text of the telegram.
2. An equally significant support is the dissemination of information. We urge you to tell your relatives, friends, colleagues, and directly on social media about the Viasna team and other political prisoners. Be sure to use the hashtag #FreeViasna.
3. Sign the petition for the release of the Viasna team members and all political prisoners of Belarus!
4. Support Viasna on Patreon or with a one-time donation.
More news about Viasna team on the website freeviasna.org
