19.02.2008 FIDH and Viasna: Open Letter to Belarusian Authorities on Harassment against Zhaleznichenka

Minsk-Paris, 15 February 2008 – The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the Human Rights Center “Viasna” express their deep concern about the Belarusian authorities’ repeated harassment against the youth activist Dmitry Zheleznichenko.

11.02.2008 Amnesty International and Belarusian Helsinki Committee Condemn Executions of Convicts in Belarus

On 5 February 5 the Supreme Court of Belarus announced that Siarhei Marozau, the leader of a Homel-based criminal gang, and his close associates, Valery Harbaty and Ihar Danchanka, had been executed by shooting. The three were sentenced to death by shooting in a months-long trial that came to an end on 1 December 2006. The so-called Marozau Gang, which was said to have terrorized the Homel region between 1990 and 2004, was accused of 16 murders.

09.02.2008 Press Conference of Belarusian Prisoners’ Relatives

Recently a group of relatives of the prisoners who received unfair sentences has held a press conference.

30.01.2008 Lidia Yarmoshyna: Institute of international election observation is a purely political tool

Institute of international election observation is a purely political tool, Lidia Yarmoshyna, chairperson of the Central Election Commission, stated in the interview to Belaruskaya Dumka magazine.

18.01.2008 The release of all political prisoners is one of the key conditions for Belarus to renew its

STATEMENT

by Mr Jacek PROTASIEWICZ, The Chairman - DELEGATION FOR RELATIONS WITH BELARUS

18.01.2008 Human rights and democracy in Belarus off to discouraging start in the new year

Chairman of US Helsinki Commission Congressman Alcee Hastings brings the issue of Belarus to the floor

19.12.2007 UN General Assembly condemned violation of human rights in Belarus

The United Nations General Assembly voted 72-33 with 78 abstentions in favor of resolution condemning violation of human rights in Belarus. The document was approved by a majority vote.

13.12.2007 Human Rights Activists Remind Navumau about Political Prisoners

On 13 December a group of human rights activists consisting of the deputy chair of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) Ales Bialiatski, the human rights activists Alena Laptsionak, Valiantsin Stefanovich and Siarzhuk Sys passed to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Belarus (MIA) thousands of origami cranes which had been prepared by the international human rights organization Amnesty International for liberation of the political prisoner Zmitser Dashkevich.

29.11.2007 Van der Linden calls upon authorities of Belarus to abolish capital punishment

Chairman of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) Rene van der Linden has called upon the authorities of Belarus to vacate death sentences to Syarhei Marozau, Ihar Danchenka and Valery Harbaty, who were sentenced to execution by the Supreme Court in 2006, the statement by the PACE head reads.

22.11.2007 UN Resolution Draft Denouncing Human Rights Violations in Belarus Passed

UN General Assembly Third Committee adopted a resolution draft on human rights violations in Belarus, reports UN News Centre. The situation with mass media is given extensive coverage in the resolution.

12.11.2007 33 Countries Propose to Condemn Belarus for Human Rights Violations

33 countries have introduced to the UN a draft resolution on Belarus.

03.09.2007 Observatory for Protection of Human Rights Defenders Condemns Non-registration of ‘Viasna’

Paris-Geneva, August 31, 2007. The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), expresses its deepest concern regarding the refusal of the Belarusian authorities to re-register the Human Rights Centre “Viasna”, on August 28, 2007, in violation of a communication of the United Nations Human Rights Committee issued at the end of July 2007.

24.08.2007 International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) Reminds Justice Ministry of Belarus about Legal Term for Deciding on ‘Viasna’ Registration

Here's the text of an open letter of the FIDH to the Minister of Justice Viktar Halavanau.

24.08.2007 Amnesty International Expresses Its Concern with Persecution of Youth Activists in Belarus

Amnesty International is deeply concerned by reports that the harassment, detention and imprisonment of youth activists by the Belarusian authorities has intensified in recent weeks. The organization believes that the clampdown forms part of the government’s continuing attempts to intimidate and obstruct youth activists, and civil society as a whole, from exercising their rights to freedom of assembly, association and expression.

21.08.2007 Human Rights Activists Meet with First Deputy Minister of Justice Aliaksandr Petrash

On 21 August the human rights activists Ales Bialiatski, Uladzimir Labkovich and Valiantsin Stefanovich had a personal audience with the first deputy minister of Justice Aliaksandr Petrash. First of all, they were interested in the process of registration of the human rights NGO Viasna. Bear in mind that on 23 July the initiative group of human rights activists filed with the Ministry of Justice a packet of documents for registration of the public human rights association Viasna and in two days the Ministry of Justice must announce its decision.