News on the topic: human rights defenders
04.05.2015 Viciebsk resident Piatro Berlin lodged a complaint with the UN Human Rights Committee
Mr. Berlin was charged with participating in an unsanctioned picketing, whereas in fact he had just taken part in a photo session against the background of a graffiti with birds and cells. Moreover, he was the only one to be sentenced to arrest rather than a fine.
30.04.2015 Human rights defender denied opportunity to visit prisons
Human rights activist and freelance journalist Leanid Svetsik was going to write a series of articles about the conditions of detention of persons held in prisons and detention centers of the Viciebsk region. He sent more than a dozen requests in these facilities asking for permission to visit them. But none of these requests has been granted.
28.04.2015 Belarusian authorities again deny visa to foreign human rights activist
According to Lars Bünger, president of the international human rights organization Libereco - Partnership for Human Rights, the Belarusian Embassy in Berlin denied him a visa last week.
23.04.2015 AZERBAIJAN: Intigam Aliyev sentenced to 7.5 years of jail for human rights work
Paris-Geneva, April 22, 2015 – 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), strongly condemns the seven and a half year jail sentence handed down today by the Baku Grave Crimes Court against Intigam Aliyev.
23.04.2015 Human Rights Lawyer Aliyev Sentenced To Prison In Azerbaijan
BAKU -- A prominent human rights lawyer in Azerbaijan, Intiqam Aliyev, has been sentenced to 7 1/2 years in prison after a trial that he called politically motivated.
21.04.2015 Human rights defender faces charges for writing to police
An administrative case has been opened against human rights defender Pavel Levinau, according to a letter received from the Kastryčnicki district police department of Viciebsk. The human rights activist had asked to prosecute those responsible for the distribution of Soviet flags in the city.
16.04.2015 Baku Sentences Rights Activist
BAKU -- A prominent human rights activist in Azerbaijan has been sentenced to 6 1/2 years in prison. The Baku Court for Grave Crimes found Rasul Cafarov guilty of tax evasion, illegal entrepreneurship, and abuse of office on April 16.
16.04.2015 Human rights activists: Belarus' participation in the UPR gives hope for changes
Universal Periodic Review is one of the few UN mechanisms recognized by the Belarusian authorities. The UPR provides for cooperation between the authorities and civil society. The process of this interaction is still far from perfect, but human rights activists seek to use the platform of the UPR to promote the necessary changes.
15.04.2015 Homiel human rights activist Leanid Sudalenka questioned as a witness in a criminal case regarding distribution of pornography
Today, April 15, Chairman of the Homiel Branch of the NGO "Legal Initiative" Leanid Sudalenka has been interrogated as a witness at the Homiel city department of the Investigation Committee in connection with a criminal case, brought under part 2 of article 343 of the Criminal Code (distribution of pornographic materials via the Internet) in connection with the alleged sending of pornographic videos from the mailbox, belonging to the human rights activist (sudalenko@mail.ru).
15.04.2015 Ales Bialiatski meets Johannes Hahn ahead of his visit to Minsk
In the morning of April 15 in Brussels, the head of the HRC "Viasna" and FIDH Vice-President Ales Bialiatski met with European Commissioner for Enlargement and Neighbourhood Policy Johannes Hahn.
15.04.2015 Rasul Jafarov urges court to acquit him
On the trial of the Azerbaijani human rights activist Rasul Jafarov on Wednesday, he made a closing statement. The human rights activist said that he would not touch the essence of the charges in detail, as the lawyers thoroughly presented the position of the defenсe.
15.04.2015 Human rights activist demands from policemen to explain seizure of computer
A human rights activist from Homiel Leanid Sudalenka plans to apply to the police department relating the fact of the search and seizure of the office equipment in his working place and at home.
14.04.2015 Valiantsin Stefanovich: Unfortunately, not all European politicians want to see what is going on in Belarus
The situation that has developed around political prisoner Mikalai Statkevich is very symptomatic, showing that the Belarusian authorities, firstly, do not want to release political prisoners, and, secondly, only imitate a dialogue with the European Union.
14.04.2015 Invitation to press conference "2nd round of UPR for Belarus: expectations of human rights community"
April 15 at 11 a.m. there will be held a press-conference on the results of the participation of human rights defenders at the pre-session in Geneva on April 8-10, prior to the passage of the second round of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) by Belarus.
13.04.2015 Baranavičy: social activists congratulate Statkevich Sr. on Easter
Baranavičy activists Mikalai Antanovich, Uladzimir Hundar and Viktar Syrytsa visited Vitar Statkevich, father of political prisoner Mikalai Statkevich, and congratulated him on Easter.
