The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

01.09.2020 KGB tortures political prisoners held on rioting charges

Aliaksandr Frantskevich, an anarchist facing “rioting” charges, was tortured after his arrest by the KGB on August 13, according to his former cellmate.

26.04.2017 16 persons said to face charges of ‘organizing an illegal armed group’. Updated list of defendants

According to a reliable source, 16 persons currently held in the ‘rioting case’ have faced additional charges of ‘organizing an illegal armed group’ (Art. 287 of the Criminal Code).

23.03.2017 KGB holds 26 people in fresh ‘rioting' case

The Human Rights Center "Viasna" has received information about at least 18 people detained by special services on March 21-22 in the framework of a criminal investigation into allegations of ‘plotting a riot’ under Part 3, Art. 293 of the Criminal Code.

07.07.2016 Amnesty International: Belarus uses telecoms firms to stifle dissent

Viasna’s website was illegally blocked and the Skype chats of the organization’s leader, Ales Bialiatski, were intercepted with the aim of compromising the human rights defender, Amnesty Internaitonal said in a report entitled It’s enough for people to feel it exists: Civil society, secrecy and surveillance in Belarus.

17.05.2016 Reporter Gets Moral Damage Compensation for Unlawful Imprisonment in KGB

In 2012, a reporter and then a student of journalism department Anton Surapin spent a month in the KGB detention center for allegedly aiding the teddy bear air drop team.

25.03.2016 Freelance journalist detained in Rečyca

Freelance journalist Kanstantsin Zhukouski was detained yesterday in the town of Rečyca, Homieĺ region, while interviewing local residents outside the municipal community center.

12.02.2016 KGB Forces Picture Editor To Admit Collaborating With Belsat

“Andrei” from the KGB came to the picture editor’s place of work and demanded to admit collaborating with independent TV channel.

01.10.2015 Kličaŭ: police burst into house of democratic activist at night

As reported by an activist of the Belarusian Social Democratic Party in Kličaŭ, Liudmila Hushcha, the police broke into her house at night without any sanction. They explained to the frightened woman that they were “looking for a thief”.

15.09.2015 OSCE observers visit Sluck and Salihorsk

Long-term observers of the OSCE mission visited Salihorsk and Sluck, where they met with the authorities and local human rights defenders.

08.09.2015 KGB pressurizes participants of Aliaksandr Charkashyn's funeral at work

As reported by a member of the Belarusian Christian Democracy, deputy of the Pieršamajsk Rural Executive Committee Valery Bilibukha, KGB officers phoned to the Ivacevičy Forestry and asked why he had been absent from work on September 3. That day, however, he took an unpaid leave.

03.09.2015 Silence of the Lambs: What information does Investigative Committee want to remain undisclosed?

Deputy Chairman of the Human Rights Center "Viasna" Valiantsin Stefanovich regards taking the undertakings not to disclose the materials of the preliminary investigation on the "graffiti case" as harassment of the defendants. The human rights activist reflects on the legality of such actions of the Investigative Committee.

09.07.2015 KGB trying to recruit freelance journalist Zmitser Lupach

Freelance journalist Zmitser Lupach told how KGB officers tried to make him cooperate with them. At first he decided to simply ignore their proposals, but they didn't let him alone. Therefore, Mr. Lupach decided to appeal to journalists and human rights activists.