Human Rights Center “Viasna” Becomes FIDH Member

On 2- 6 March 2004 a conference of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) took place in the capital of Ecuador, Quito. It was opened by the FIDH head Sidiki Kaba and the Nobel Prize winner in the field of human rights, Iraq human rights activist Shirin Edabi. At the congress it was decided to give to the Human Rights Center “Viasna” the status of an associate member of FIDH.

The lawyer of the Human Rights Center “Viasna” Valiantsin Stefanovich participated in the Congress. On his return to Belarus he stated: “Membership in FIDH is very valuable for “Viasna”. First of all, it is appreciation of our active work. We were accepted to the Federation despite the fact that our organization had been liquidated by the court and, according to the FIDH statute only registered organizations can be granted membership. However, taking into account the situation with liquidation of NGOs in Belarus, FIDH made exclusion for us”.