News on the topic: freedom of peaceful assembly
09.06.2020 Siarhei Tsikhanouski and supporters face formal charges
Siarhei Tsikhanouski, a known vlogger and campaign chief of his wife Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s nomination group, has been officially charged under Part 1, Art. 342 of the Criminal Code (organizing group actions that grossly violate public order and are associated with obvious disobedience to the lawful demands of the authorities or have caused disruption of the activities of public transport, enterprises, institutions or organizations, or active participation in such actions in the absence of signs of a more serious crime).
25.05.2020 HRW denounces 'wave of arrests' in Belarus as elections loom
Belarus has intensified its crackdown on independent activists and journalists with a "new wave of arbitrary arrests" ahead of presidential elections, Human Rights Watch (HRW) says.
15.05.2020 Key national human rights groups call to end persecution of peaceful protesters, journalists and defenders
In May 2020, the Belarusian authorities began widespread repression against the country’s civil society. More than 120 people were arbitrarily arrested and sentenced to fines and terms of detention across Belarus. The human rights community of Belarus demands an end to the persecution of peaceful demonstrators, human rights activists and journalists and the release of those serving their sentences.
13.05.2020 Crackdown on Peaceful Protesters Mars Beginning of Presidential Campaign Season
The campaign season for Belarus’ presidential elections, scheduled for August 9, saw sweeping repression against civil society by authorities. Over the past week, authorities arbitrarily detained over 100 peaceful protesters across Belarus, charging them with administrative fines and arrests.
12.05.2020 Human rights defenders, protesters convicted across Belarus
Several human rights defenders and opposition activists have been sentenced to short terms of detention or fined following trials held today in various parts of Belarus. These include Viasna’s activists Aliaksandr Burakou in Mahilioŭ and Uladzimir Vialichkin in Brest.
11.05.2020 120 people affected by new crackdown on peaceful protesters
The Human Rights Center “Viasna” is aware of at least 120 new cases of persecution targeting peaceful protesters documented since May 6, after police arrested critical vlogger Siarhei Tsikhanouski in Mahilioŭ.
02.05.2020 Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders stands up for jailed Brest activists
The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a partnership of FIDH and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), has received new information and requests your urgent intervention in the following situation in Belarus.
24.04.2020 Viasna calls to suspend administrative detention during COVID-19 pandemic
Under the conditions of the pandemic declared by the World Health Organization, it is incumbent on the Belarusian authorities to take immediate steps to prevent the spread of the virus among the categories of people most at risk of infection: low-income and homeless persons, alcohol abusers and prisoners.
07.02.2020 Amnesty International urges Belarus to end repression against peaceful protestors
Amnesty International strongly condemns the current clampdown on the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly in Belarus. The statement comes in response to reports from local human rights defenders claiming that over 150 people have been prosecuted and fined on “illegal protesting” charges, following their peaceful participation in protests in November and December 2019.
19.12.2019 Dozens face charges ahead of new protests against Belarus-Russia integration
Nearly forty people have been summoned to the police over their involvement in two protests against planned integration with Russia held in central Minsk on December 7 and 8. The demonstrations were not allowed by the authorities and the city police department had warned the protesters against joining the assemblies.
05.12.2019 Election echo: more activists convicted of illegal protesting
At least eight opposition activists have been found guilty of joining the illegal demonstrations held in central Minsk in November.
03.12.2019 Viasna alerts UN Special Rapporteurs to increased repression of peaceful protesters
Activists of the Human Rights Center “Viasna” have written to the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association, Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, and the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Belarus. The urgent communication comes as a response to the recent boost in repression suffered by the participants in peaceful protests held as part of the parliamentary elections.
17.11.2019 Report on monitoring peaceful assembly on November 16 in Minsk
On November 16, Minsk hosted the second protest entitled "Meeting of Free People"
16.11.2019 Report on monitoring peaceful assembly on November 15 in Minsk
On November 15, a protest entitled “The meeting of free people” took place in Kastryčnickaja Square and Svabody Square.
09.11.2019 Report on monitoring peaceful assembly on November 8 in Minsk
The peaceful assembly was a part of the candidates’ election campaigns for the House of Representatives.
