News on the topic: human rights defenders
15.11.2013 Havel Prize nominees congratulate Ales Bialiatski
A letter of congratulation to Ales Bialiatski currently held in Babruisk penal colony came from the Hungarian-based Mental Disability Advocacy Center (MDAC).
15.11.2013 Statement by the Human Rights Center "Viasna" regarding the arrest of human rights defender Andrei Bandarenka
On November 14, the Court of Minsk’s Maskouski district considered the administrative case opened against the director of the private cultural and educational institution “Platform Innovation” Andrei Bandarenka, as a result of which the human rights activist was found guilty of violating Article 23.34 of the Administrative Code (violation of the order of organizing and holding mass events) and sentenced to five days in prison.
15.11.2013 Human rights defender Andrei Bandarenka sentenced to 5 days of arrest
The Court of Minsk’s Maskouski district considered yesterday administrative charges brought against the mother of Ihar Ptsichkin who died in Minsk detention center this August and director of a human rights group called “Platform Innovation” Andrei Bandarenka. They were accused of unauthorized picketing.
14.11.2013 Viasna supports guidelines aimed to define “political prisoner”
A guideline aimed to define the notion of “political prisoner” was presented at the Third Human Rights Forum held in Vilnius in late October.
13.11.2013 Examination of the prohibited book by Ales Bialiatski abolished by the State Customs Committee until... a new examination
The member of the Board of the HRC "Viasna" Tatsiana Reviaka received a response to her complaint from the State Customs Committee. She appealed against the violations of the customs officials of the Ashmiany Customs Office during the appointment of an expert examination of the book by Ales Bialiatski “Enlightened by the Belarusian issue” and the violations on the part of the “expert commission” which concluded that the book "could damage the image of the Republic of Belarus".
12.11.2013 Authorities cover up black lists' compilers
Officials conceal on the basis of which document independent web-sites have been included in the list of Internet information sources with limited access.
05.11.2013 Hrodna: court “wall” seems impenetrable
Hrodna Regional Court considered the appeal of the human rights defenders Viktar Sazonau, Uladzimir Khilmanovich and Raman Yurhel against the verdict of the Leninski District Court of Hrodna concerning the refusal of the Hrodna City Executive Committee to hold a picket in support of Ales Bialiatski on 4 August. On 23 September the Leninski District Court Judge Zhana Krauchanka, ignoring clear violations on the part of the authorities, ruled that the city executive committee didn't violate the law by its ban on the mass event. The human rights activists disagree with this verdict and seek the justice.
05.11.2013 Hrodna human rights defenders oppose discrimination
Hrodna human rights defenders Viktar Sazonau, Uladzimir Khilmanovich and Raman Yurhel filed to the Leninski District Court of Hrodna another complaint against the ruling of the Hrodna City Executive Committee dated 4 October and signed by its deputy head Alena Ahei, by which they werre prohibited to hold an informational picket on 10 October 2013.
02.11.2013 Palina Stsepanenka: It seemed to me they would shoot us all...
Human rights activist and writer Palina Stsepanenka-Kachatkova recalls Dziady in 1988 and the human rights advocacy at the time.
02.11.2013 November opens with a new trial in Zhodzina
From 10 to 12.40 a.m. on November 1 the first hearing concerning the prohibition of a picket in support of Ales Bialiatski and other political prisoners took place at the Zhodzina City Court.
01.11.2013 Mahiliou human rights defenders continue appealing against the prohibition of the picket in support of Ales Bialiatski
The appropriate appeal against the verdict of the Leninski District Court of Mahiliou, the ruling of the Mahiliou Regional Executive Committee "On Mass Events in Mahiliou" and the letter of the main bureau on the ideology, culture and youth affairs of the Mahiliou Regional Executive Committee, which rejected the appeal against the picket ban, was filed to the judicial board on civil cases of the Mahiliou Regional Court.
01.11.2013 Belarus must guarantee the right to elect and to be elected, United Nations expert tells the General Assembly
NEW YORK (31 October 2013) – The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Belarus, Miklos Haraszti, says that Belarus has to guarantee a series of human rights in order to give effect to the right to elect and to be elected. During the presentation of his first report* to the United Nations General Assembly this week in New York, Mr. Haraszti recalled that Belarus is the only country in Europe with no opposition in parliament.
31.10.2013 Human rights activist Viktoryia Starastsenka dies in road accident in Minsk
Human rights activist Viktoryia Starastsenka, 25, died last morning after being hit by a truck. The accident occurred at about 8:50 a.m. in Karbyshau Street. The girl was crossing the roadway at an unregulated pedestrian crossing when she was hit by a truck moving at a speed of 90 kilometers per hour, udf.by reports.
31.10.2013 Human rights violations in Belarus discussed at UN side-event
On October 30, 2013 New York City hosted a side event at the UN General Assembly with the participation of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Belarus, Mr. Miklos Haraszti, and the Belarusian and international human rights defenders: Valiantsin Stefanovich, deputy chairman of the Human Rights Center "Viasna", Zhanna Litvina, leader of Belarusian Association of Journalists, Sasha Koulaeva, head of FIDH’s Eastern Europe and Central Asia Desk.
30.10.2013 Speech by FIDH President Karim Lahidji at Third Belarusian Human Rights Forum
The Third Forum of Belarusian human rights defenders that took place on 26-27 October in Vilnius and was opened by a welcome speech of the President of the FIDH, Karim Lahidji. Here is the full text of his speech.
