News on the topic: amnesty
08.07.2024 More than 15 political prisoners were amnestied and pardoned, among them Ryhor Kastusiou
Human rights defenders do not publish the names of other released prisoners for their safety.
02.07.2024 Belarus: Call for release of older political prisoners
On July 2, 2024, UN experts* urged the Belarusian authorities to pardon or remit the sentence of all imprisoned older persons jailed on political charges.
17.10.2019 Belarus: Politically motivated trial against former prisoner of conscience starts behind closed doors
The Belarusian authorities must uphold the right of former prisoner of conscience Dzmitry Paliyenka to a fair trial and ensure his hearing is open to the public, Amnesty International said ahead of the start of his trial on 17 October.
14.05.2015 Lawyer Pavel Sapelka: State has replaced the system of parole with giveaway amnesties
May 13 The House of Representatives of the National Assembly adopted in the first and second reading a bill on amnesty in connection with the 70th anniversary of the Victory. According to the Minister of Internal Affairs Ihar Shunevich if the amnesty law comes into force, it will concern some 8,600 convicts, 2.2 thousand which will be released from prison. Will there be political prisoners among them?
25.02.2015 Global response to atrocities by states and armed groups "shameful and ineffective"
“2014 was a catastrophic year for millions caught up in violence. As people suffered an escalation in barbarous attacks and repression, the international community has been found wanting,” said Salil Shetty, Secretary General of Amnesty International.
25.06.2014 Ales Bialiatski is under prisoner amnesty
Amnesty International welcomes the release of Belarusian prisoner of conscience Ales Bialiatski after nearly three years behind bars. The organizations remains concerned that his release was not unconditional and that two remaining prisoners of conscience remain in prison.
22.04.2014 Can political prisoners count on release under amnesty?
On April 21, it became known that the parliament was expected to review a bill on amnesty in 2014. However, the national legal portal has not yet published the document.
18.12.2012 Two years on and the grip tightens on basic freedoms in Belarus
On 19 December 2010, following a presidential poll during which Alyaksandr Lukashenka was elected for a fourth term as President of Belarus, 30,000 protesters gathered in central Minsk to demand a second round of elections.
27.11.2012 Belarus evicts leading human rights organization
A leading Belarusian human rights NGO had its office confiscated in the capital Minsk on Monday, in what Amnesty International called a blatant violation of Belarus’ international human rights obligations.
26.07.2012 Pavel Seviarynets denied amnesty
Pavel Seviarynets, one of the persons convicted for involvement in the 19 December 2010 post-election protest and co-chair of the Belarusian Christian Democracy’s organizing committee, has been officially denied amnesty, the BelaPAN news agency reports.
11.07.2012 Valiantsin Stefanovich: “Amnesty bill was politicized by the authorities”
The deputy head of the Human Rights Center “Viasna” told why there was no use waiting for the release of political prisoners under the recently adopted law on amnesty and pointed that the authorities artificially deprived the imprisoned opponents of the regime to be released on parole.
27.06.2012 House of Representatives adopts law on amnesty in two readings at a time
Minister of Internal Affairs, General-Mayor of Police Ihar Shunevich presented the draft bill to the members of the House of Representatives.
19.06.2012 Valiantsin Stefanovich: "The new law on amnesty is totally politically motivated, and most political prisoners are "violators"
Human rights defenders have condemned the draft Law on Amnesty submitted to Parliament on June 15, calling it over-politicized. Meanwhile, Lukashenka said at a special meeting that "there should be no politics there" and that "everything must be honest."
13.06.2012 Belarus: Continuing Human Rights Concerns
Submission to the 20th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council
06.06.2012 Mikalai Autukhovich waits for meeting with mother and has no hopes for amnesty
Leanid Haravy, an activist of the Movement “For Freedom” from Haradok, maintains correspondence with political prisoner Mikalai Autukhovich. Having received a letter from Hrodna prison, he decided to tell readers of “Viasna”s site about the things the prisoner writes, what are his thoughts and hopes.
