“Viasna” representatives take part in human rights events in Sweden

These days in Stockholm, Days of Belarus are held by the human rights organization Östgruppen, and the second annual conference Defenders' Days - 2014 is held by Civil Rights Defenders.

Members of the Human Rights Centre "Viasna " were invited to participate in both events.

Days of Belarus, organized by the human rights organization Östgruppen, and the conference Defenders' Days 2014, organized by the Civil Rights Defenders, are taking place in Stockholm these days.

Members of the Board of the Human Rights Center “Viasna”have been invited to both events.

Days of Belarus are held by Östgruppen on March 31 – April 3, the month before the World Hockey Championship in Minsk. Belarusian human rights activists, independent journalists, former political prisoners and relatives of current prisoners, representatives of contemporary culture have been invited to the event. The program includes participation of Deputy Chairman of the Human Rights Center "Viasna" Valiantsin Stefanovich and a member of the Board, Uladzimir Labkovich.

Mr. Labkovich, Mr. Stefanovich, their colleague Tatsiana Reviaka and Mr. Bialiatski's wife Natallia Pinchuk also take part in the second annyual conference “Defenders' Day”, held by Civil Rights Defenders from April 1 to 4. About 120 human rights activists have come to the unique forum, dedicated to strenghtening the positions of the defenders at risk in their work. The conference is a platform for them to share experiences and develop the network of contacts.

Within the framework of the conference the leading experts will conduct trainings and consultations on such hot topics as information and computer security, video campaigns and lobbying human rights. Well-known prepresentatives of the UN and international human rights community, including Maina Kiai, UN Special Rapporteur on the right of freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, are present at the event in order to develop contacts and get more information about issues in various regions of the world.

The culmination of the conference will be the annual awards ceremony, at which Civil Rights Defenders celebrate the success and achievements of their courageous colleagues. The ceremony will take place on April 4.