Vintsuk Viachorka: The Human Rights center was created in 1996 to help those suffered from Lukashenka’s repressions after the mass spring actions on March 25 and Charnobylski Shliakh. That’s where the name of the organization comes from – Viasna-96.

Viasna is 10 years old!
The Human Rights center was created in 1996 to help those suffered from Lukashenka’s repressions after the mass spring actions on March 25 and Charnobylski Shliakh. That’s where the name of the organization comes from - Viasna-96.

Unfortunately the dictatorship in Belarus has stood too long. Now it’s just Viasna - one of the most respected, famous, effective groups of human rights defense having an all-belarusian structure. Thousands of people are thankful to Viasna for the help of Viasna, for their being side by side.

The reason for the effectiveness of Viasna job is simple. The people of Viasna are conscious, the have Belarusian values in their souls. They are at the center of events, they defend the people of different parties and organizations fearlessly. Their beliefs are: Belarus must and will be free, democratic, independent and respected country.
When the Ministry of Justice stated the value of Viasna and formally closed it, the people from Viasna slapped the door loudly - they were sitting in the hall of Supreme Court and had to be taken out in hands.
Viasna is a reliable, objective source of information about human rights in our country for the democratic world. E-mailing, bulletin “The Right for Freedom”, annual “Review chronicles of Human Rights Violations” in several languages are a great part of their job. Viasna is appreciated not only in Belarusians. Various authority awards and prizes may prove it. Only owing to you, courageous Viasna people, the Belarusian word Viasna is known all over the world as a synonym of the struggle of the Belarusians for human rights, truth and freedom.
I congratulate you, Viasna on the anniversary. I wish the day Belarus becomes free will come soon.

Vintsuk Viachorka