The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

09.06.2020 Siarhei Tsikhanouski and supporters face formal charges

Siarhei Tsikhanouski, a known vlogger and campaign chief of his wife Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s nomination group, has been officially charged under Part 1, Art. 342 of the Criminal Code (organizing group actions that grossly violate public order and are associated with obvious disobedience to the lawful demands of the authorities or have caused disruption of the activities of public transport, enterprises, institutions or organizations, or active participation in such actions in the absence of signs of a more serious crime).

09.06.2020 2020 Presidential Election. Weekly observation report: June 1-7

Representatives of the campaign “Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections” note the continuing trend of increasing repression during the election period, including against the direct participants in the election, and the escalation of tensions and an atmosphere of fear in society.

05.06.2020 Picks of the week

Candidate's nomination campaign at risk after arrest of 9 activists; CEC ignores Lukashenka's sexist remarks; police detain would-be candidate

03.06.2020 Human Rights Situation in Belarus: May 2020

May was marked by a sharp deterioration in the human rights situation and an increase in repression, which is due to the start of the presidential election campaign.

02.06.2020 2020 Presidential Election. Weekly observation report: May 25-31

As compared to the previous presidential election, this year’s campaign, despite the COVID-19 crisis, is characterized by widespread media and street activity of individual candidates. The deterioration of the socio-economic situation in the country and the authorities’ controversial policies in response to the pandemic became a catalyst for public discontent and led to a certain increase in election-related protests.

01.06.2020 Release Siarhei Tsikhanouski!

We, representatives of Belarusian human rights organizations, call on the Belarusian authorities to immediately release Siarhei Tsikhanouski and stop his criminal prosecution.

29.05.2020 Picks of the week

Peaceful protesters continue to stand trials across Belarus; Viasna's human rights defender complains of "cold cell torture" in prison; Lukashenka's campaigners routinely abuse administrative resources to support the incumbent's nomination

23.05.2020 2020 Presidential Election. Report on the formation of territorial election commissions

A peculiarity of this year’s election is the context of the coronavirus pandemic, which affected the process of nominating representatives of parties and public associations and the procedure for holding meetings of the bodies that formed the TECs.

22.05.2020 Supreme Court confirms death sentence for Kostseu brothers

The Supreme Court of Belarus has upheld today the double death sentence handed down to Stanislau and Illia Kostseu charged with murdering their former schoolteacher in April 2019. The death verdicts have become final.

21.05.2020 2020 Presidential Election. Report on the registration of nomination groups

55 applications were submitted to the CEC to request the registration of groups formed to nominate future presidential candidates, which is an all-time record in the history of Belarusian presidential elections.

20.05.2020 CEC approves 15 nomination groups in August 9 presidential election

The Central Election Commission has registered 15 groups formed to support the nominations of future presidential candidates. These include the incumbent Aliaksandr Lukashenka, former Belgazprombank CEO Viktar Babaryka, ex-MP Hanna Kanapatskaya, BSDH party leader Siarhei Cherachen, United Civil Party chairman Mikalai Kazlou, and Tell the Truth leader Andrei Dzmitryeu.

19.05.2020 Political prisoner Pilip Shaurou walks free after mild sentence

The court of the Centraĺny district of Minsk has sentenced Pilip Shaurou, activist of the Young Front opposition group earlier called a political prisoner by Belarusian human rights defenders, to a fine of 1,350 rubles, finding him guilty of criminal vandalism and property damage.

18.05.2020 2020 Presidential Election. Weekly observation report: May 8-17

The election is taking place against the background of the coronavirus pandemic, which is a serious challenge carrying enormous risks for lives of both the direct participants in the electoral process and other citizens of the country as a whole.