16.02.2009 HR Center Viasna issues statement on brutal dispersal of 14 February peaceful action

On 14 February 2008 the unregistered Young Front organization conducted a peaceful youth demonstration. In spite of the fact that the action was peaceful, the demonstrators were attacked by representatives of the Belarusian riot police, using violence and compliance weapons. As a result, dozens of citizens were beaten up. However, none of the participants of the action was detained, which indicates the deliberate character of the violent actions, aimed at intimidation and display of power by the Belarusian authorities. The violence used was demonstrative and deliberately excessive. It should be observed that the action was preceded by a series of searches at the private apartments of the Young Front members.

12.02.2009 Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe calls the Belarusian authorities to start a legislative reform

As already indicated in previous replies to Parliamentary Assembly recommendations, the Committee of Ministers strongly encourages the Belarusian authorities to initiate structural and legislative reforms in line with the Council of Europe standards in the core areas which form the basis of the Organisation: democracy, human rights and the rule of law. In this regard, the Committee of Ministers recalls that a crucial step to be made by Belarus towards aligning itself to Council of Europe principles and values, allowing for closer co-operation with the Organisation, would be the immediate suspension and the subsequent abolition in law of the death penalty. In the same context, the Committee of Ministers shares the Assembly’s opinion that Belarus should bring its criminal justice system in line with Council of Europe norms and standards and in the meantime should cease from using this system for political purposes.

10.02.2009 Ales Bialiatski: ‘Registration or non-registration of ‘Nasha Viasna’ is the indicator of the readiness of the authorities to change their policy towards NGOs’

Mr. Ales! At present the Belarusian mass media actively discuss the information that the documents for registration of the human rights association Nasha Viasna, among the founders of which there are members of the liquidated by the authorities Human Rights Center Viasna, have been passed to the Ministry of Justice.

03.02.2009 Belarusian courts ignore UN rulings

Leninski district court of Minsk refused to consider a complaint against the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that ignores the UN ruling prescribing the legal rehabilitation of the Civil Initiatives NGO.

28.01.2009 Ales Bialiatski: ‘Registration or non-registration of Nasha Viasna will show the readiness of the authorities for changes pertaining to NGOs’

Mr.Bialiatski’s interview concerning the registration of the Nasha Viasna human rights organization. Q: Mr.Bialiatski, Belarusian mass media have repeatedly mentioned that the Nasha Viasna human rights organization, founded by members of the liquidated Human Rights Center Viasna, has applied for registration to the Ministry of Justice.

28.01.2009 HRHF concerned about conscription of civil and political activists in Belarus

The Human Rights House Foundation (HRHF) sent a letter to the Defense Minister of Belarus today, expressing its concerns about the conscription of civil and political activits in Belarus.

26.01.2009 Statement on Nasha Viasna registration

On 26 January 2009 the Nasha Viasna human rights organization applied for registration to the Ministry of Justice of Belarus. The decision by the Supreme Court of Belarus of 28 January 2003 to liquidate the human rights center Viasna was an outrage against the freedom of association, guaranteed by the Belarusian Constitution and international human rights agreements. On 24 June 2007 the UN Human Rights Committee adopted a resolution, stating that by closing down Viasna the Belarusian authorities violated Article 22-1 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. In its resolution the UNHCC confirmed Viasna’s right to adequate means of legal protection, including re-registration and compensation. It also obliged the Belarusian government to take precautions against similar violations in future.

22.01.2009 ODIHR OSCE Director arrives to Minsk

Ambassador Janez Lenarcic, the Director of the OSCE's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), arrives to Minsk on January 22 to discuss recommendations for improvements to Belarus' electoral framework.

21.01.2009 Visiting secretary general of International Trade Union Confederation meets with Belarusian unionists

Guy Rider, secretary general of the International Trade Union Confederation, met with representatives of the pro-government Federation of Trade Unions of Belarus and two independent trade unions in Minsk on Tuesday.

The meeting focused on the need for unity among the country's trade unions, Yaraslaw Yarashuk, chairman of the Belarusian Congress of Trade Unions, told BelaPAN.

21.01.2009 Amnesty International: No positive changes in freedom of speech in Belarus

There were no positive changes in human rights in the last six months in Belarus, the Secretary-General of Amnesty International’s German Section thinks.

Barbara Lochbihler commented on the situation with human rights in Belarus in an interview to Deutsche Welle.

16.01.2009 American lawyers sure US citizen tortured in Belarusian prison

The Washington DC-based Patton Boggs law firm has addressed the UN Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment with a request to investigate the facts of using torture against the American citizen Emmanuil Zeltzer. The firm claims that by detaining Mr.Zeltzer on 12 March 2008 Belarus violated the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Belarusian authorities ‘have tortured Mr. Zeltser by subjecting him to substandard prison conditions and physical beatings, forcing him to undergo a psychiatric evaluation, and jeopardizing his health and life by depriving him of vital physician-prescribed medications and failing to attend to his critical medical needs’.

10.12.2008 Minsk: dispersal of opposition rally near central KGB office

On 10 December youth activists dressed in stripped prison clothing protested near the central office of the State Security Committee (KGB).

02.12.2008 Vitsebsk: human rights activist is not allowed to hold pickets

Pavel Levinau, activist of the Belarusian Helsinki Committee, intended to hold a number of pickets dedicated to the 60th anniversary of the Universal Human Rights Declaration. He addressed Vitsebsk authorities with the request to authorize the actions and received a refusal signed by the deputy head of Vitsebsk city executive committee Pavel Losich.

01.12.2008 Reporters Without Borders call Belarusian authorities not to increase surveillance of Internet

Reporters Without Borders has learned that two independent newspapers that were dropped from official distribution networks for criticizing the government - the weekly Narodnaya Volia and the fortnightly Nasha Niva - yesterday signed contracts that will allow them to appear in the state postal monopoly Belposhta’s newspaper subscription catalogue and to be on sale in the state-owned Belsayuzdruk’s chain of newsstands.

17.11.2008 Leader of “Civil Initiatives” sues Belarusian MFA

Public activist Uladzimer Katsora of Homel went to law demanding decision of the UN Commission on Human Rights on reopening the regional non-governmental organisation “Civil Initiatives” to be fulfilled.