17.09.2010 Foreign journalists urge Belarus to guarantee protection of media freedom in Belarus

Representatives of the international mass media community recommend the Belarusian authorities to intensify legal protection of journalists, says a statement released by the participants of the international conference ‘10 years on – no justice for Georgiy Gongadze – the need to find new ways to fight impunity', held in Kyiv by the Article 19 and the International Media Support organizations, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reports.

13.09.2010 Ecologists urge Belarusian authorities to release Uladzimir Valodzin

Ecologists urge Belarusian authorities to release Uladzimir ValodzinThe ecological organizations of Belarus, Lithuania and Russia adopted a joint address to the Belarusian authorities demanding an immediate release of Uladzimir Valodzin who was imprisoned on 8 September on suspicion in the assault on the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Minsk.

07.09.2010 Representatives of ‘Amnesty International’ paid a visit to Hrodna

The representatives of the international human rights organization Amnesty International Heather McGill and Aisha Jung paid a visit to Hrodna within the guidelines of the campaign against the punishment of criminals with death.

30.08.2010 International community marks Day of Disappeared

Today, on August 30, the International Day of the Disappeared is being marked across the world. The International Day of the Disappeared on August 30 is an annual commemoration day created to draw attention to the fate of individuals imprisoned at places and under poor conditions unknown to their relatives and/or legal representatives.

24.08.2010 Capital punishment abolishment is important but it is not the only term of Belarus’ return to PACE

The abolishment of the capital punishment is the main but not the only reason for returning the status of a special invitee to Belarus in PACE. The PACE reporter on Belarus Sinikka Hurskainen has informed about it.

23.08.2010 PACE rapporteur on Belarus arrives in Minsk

Sinikka Hurskainen has arrived in Minsk to gather information, hold meetings with people and discuss the situation in the country.

The rapporteur on Belarus of the political affairs committee at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe said this on August 23 at a meeting with Viktar Huminski, a deputy head of the “house of representatives” of the “national assembly” of Belarus, BelaPAN reports.

19.08.2010 “Reporters without borders” go to bat for Belarusian oppositional newspapers

The new law on mass media gives the authorities a possibility to tighten control on the press.

As BelaPAN informs, the international human rights organization “Reporters without Borders” has condemned stepping up pressure on mass media in Belarus in the run-up to the presidential elections.

02.08.2010 OSCE criticizes mass media freedom in Belarus

The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatovich has come out in the support of Belarusian journalists.

On 30 July, Dunja Mijatovich has delivered her first report at the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna. In the report on two dozens of the OSCE participating States, to which Mijatovich addressed with different questions concerning freedom of mass media, Belarus is mentioned as well, Radio Svaboda informs.

30.06.2010 Freedom House called regime in Belarus authoritarian

Freedom House’s report listed Belarus among authoritarian states.

The survey studies the human rights situation and democracy in 29 states of Eastern Europe and former Soviet bloc, AFN reports.

10.06.2010 Ales Bialiatski takes part in OSCE conference in Copenhagen

The OSCE conference on the occsaion of the 20th anniversary of signing of the Copenhagen Document takes place in Copenhagen on 10-11 June. Ales Bialiatski, Chairperson of the Human Rights Center Viasna and Vice-President of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), was invited there to represent Belarusian NGOs. An official delegation from Belarus takes part in the conference as well.

10.06.2010 Counsel Hrabouski: verdict to Yakavenka was copied from prosecutor's ruling

On 9 June, lawyer Yauhen Hrabouski familiarized with a copy of the verdict to his client, conscientious objector Yauhen Yakavenka, who has been recently punished by the Tsentralny District Court of Homel with 1 year of personal restraint with direction to an open penitentiary institution.

28.05.2010 UN Human Rights Committee registers complaints by Brest pro-dem activists

The UN Human Rights Committee registered communications by four Brest pro-democratic activists Dzianis Turchaniak, Iryna Laurouskaya, Valery Faminski and Raman Kisliak under # 1948/2010.

28.05.2010 Amnesty International’s Report is a signal for Belarusian authorities, say human rights activists

Belarusian human rights activists say that the annual Report 2010 released by the Amnesty International human rights organization is a grave signal for the Belarusian authorities to promptly start the liberalization of the national legislation and bring the means of its implementation in accordance with the international standards in the field of civil and political rights.

27.05.2010 Amnesty International’s Report 2010 condemns human rights abuses in Belarus

The Amnesty International human rights organization released its annual Report ‘Amnesty International Report 2010: State of the World's Human Rights’, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reports. The Report stresses that ‘powerful governments are blocking advances in international justice by standing above the law on human rights, shielding allies from criticism and acting only when politically convenient.’

18.05.2010 Council of Europe Secretary General criticizes death penalty sentences in Belarus

Practicing death penalty remains an obstacle in Belarus–Council of Europe relations.

On May 14, the Hrodna region court sentenced two dwellers of Hrodna to death. They were found guilty of the murder of three persons with extreme cruelty and accompanied, robbery with beating which caused grave bodily damage, intentional damage to property, and abduction of a child. The verdict hasn’t taken legal effect and can be appealed against to the Supreme Court within ten days.