The authorities’ references to economic violations, which allegedly led to the outlet’s persecution, have been actively used for many years to justify repressive measures against human rights defenders, the media, and independent trade unions. // 25.05.2021
Raman Pratasevich’s public activity is nothing but the peaceful exercise of the freedoms guaranteed by both the Constitution of the Republic of Belarus and international human rights law, the freedom to seek and disseminate information and to express one's opinion, among others. // 24.05.2021
According to its mandate, the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances is to receive, consider, and transmit allegations of enforced disappearances reported by relatives of missing persons or human rights organisations representing their interests. The Working group urges the states concerned to investigate the cases and inform the Working group of the results.
// 20.05.2021
The court arbitrarily assessed the evidence presented to it and rendered a verdict contrary to the evidence established during the examination of the case file.
The case file included surveillance camera video footage, which confirmed the circumstances of the conflict, as claimed by the defendant, who plead not guilty. Contrary to this evidence, the court found that the defendant had committed a number of illegal acts against the victim Bandarava in the same place immediately after the self-defense actions recorded on video, solely on the basis of the victims’ testimonies, which contradicted other case material. // 14.05.2021
We consider the persecution and imprisonment of Siarhei Skok, Volha Klimkova, and Maksim Siarheyenka to be politically motivated, as they are related to the peaceful exercise of freedom expression. The convicts are therefore political prisoners, in accordance with paragraph 3.1 (a) of the Guidelines on the Definition of Political Prisoners. // 05.05.2021
