The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

27.11.2012 Ukrainian student leader not let in Belarus

The president of the Ukrainian student self-government association Lizaveta Shchepetylnykova was not let in Belarus where she intended to meet with student activists.

15.11.2012 Maira Mora: Release of political prisoners is main demand

The head of the EU Delegation to Belarus reminded on what conditions the relations between official Minsk and the EU can be improved.

14.11.2012 Polish ambassador calls for release and exoneration of political prisoners

The demands of the European Union and Poland remain unchanged.

06.11.2012 Syrian opposition calls on UK to sanction Lukashenka's regime for supporting Assad

Today, a London-based human rights organization 'Syrians in the UK' sent a letter to members of the British Parliament requesting to take action against Belarus and a possibility of 'Europe's last dictatorship' to grant asylum to Bashar al-Assad. 'Syrians in the UK' asked MPs to consider increasing sanctions against Belarus and warning UK and European companies against doing business with state-owned Belarus companies.

29.10.2012 European Parliament Criticizes Minsk Over Elections

STRASBOURG, France -- The European Parliament has strongly criticized the recent parliamentary elections in Belarus, noting they failed to meet many basic democratic standards.

16.10.2012 EU Ministers Keep Sanctions On Belarus

European Union foreign ministers meeting in Luxembourg have resolved to keep sanctions in place against Belarus, but they are continuing to hold out the prospect of lifting sanctions if Minsk improves its human rights record.

03.10.2012 EU Ambassadors present a démarche to Foreign Ministry of Belarus to mark World Day Against the Death Penalty

On 2 October, to mark the World Day Against the Death Penalty (10 October), the Ambassador of Latvia to Belarus, together with the Ambassadors of France and Italy in Belarus and representatives from the European Union Delegation in Minsk presented a démarche to the Foreign Ministry of Belarus to repeatedly draw attention of Belarusian authorities to the issue of abolishing capital punishment in Belarus.

27.09.2012 Belarusian anti-nuclear activists not let to Lithuania

Two Belarusian anti-nuclear activists Mikalai Ulasevich and Tatsiana Novikava were prohibited to enter Lithuania, their visas were terminated, RFE/RL informs. The activists were travelling to attend a conference on nuclear safety in Lithuania.

26.08.2012 Ales Bialiatski on agenda in the Élysée Palace

On 24 August, Mrs. Souhayr Belhassen, president of the International Federation for Human Rights, as well as Mr. Sidiki Kaba, FIDH honorary president, and Mr. Antoine Bernard , FIDH executive director, were received at the Élysée Palace by French President Mr. François Hollande.

09.08.2012 Dunja Mijatović calls on Belarusian authorities to release Anton Surapin

The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media asked Belarusian authorities to drop charges against detained journalist.

08.08.2012 Lukashenka closes Embassy in Stockholm

Belarus withdraws its embassy in Sweden and all its employees. As the reason for withdrawal of diplomatic mission the Foreign Ministry was called the expulsion of two Belarusian diplomats from Sweden. Recall, this happened after the decision of the Belarusian side about the non-renewal of accreditation of the ambassador of Sweden to Belarus Stefan Eriksson.

06.08.2012 German MPs demand the release of Ales Bialiatski

Marieluise Beck, Member of the German Bundestag, and Katrin Göring-Eckardt, Vice-President of the German Bundestag, made the statement.

03.08.2012 Ambassador of Sweden Stephan Ericsson expelled from Belarus

The Embassy of Sweden in Belarus confirmed that the Swedish Ambassador to Belarus Stephan Ericsson had been expelled from Belarus and is in Sweden now.