We requested that the thematic special rapporteurs contact the Government of the Republic of Belarus and seek additional information about the above mentioned draft laws aimed at restricting human rights and freedoms, the purpose of their adoption and possible negative impact on the realization of human rights.
// 25.02.2021
We assess the persecution of Arseni Siniak, Raman Yakhin, Danila Chamadanau, Aliaksandr Tseleshman, Mikita Litvinenka, Yauhen Pekach, Viachaslau Kastsiuchyk, Siarhei Moushuk, Dzmitry Tur, and Aliaksandr Nurdzinau as politically motivated, as it is related solely to their exercise of freedom of peaceful assembly and expression and recognize them as political prisoners. // 15.02.2021
We consider the persecution and imprisonment of Illia Smolski, Uladzimir Shynkevich, Uladzimir Niapomniashchykh, Uladzimir Mikhalka, Mikhail Hladysh, Heorhi Vasilenka, and Valadar Tsurpanau to be politically motivated, as they are linked to their peaceful exercise of freedom of expression. The convicts are therefore political prisoners, according to para. 3.1 (a) of the Guidelines for the Definition of Political Prisoners. // 11.02.2021
For 10 years the Office for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities has been providing free legal assistance, advocating for changes in legislation, and conducting educational activities to change attitudes towards people with disabilities. Belarus has joined the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, in particular, thanks to their extensive work. // 05.02.2021
Stefan Lazavik was detained by police on September 16, 2020 on suspicion of spray-painting on August 12 protest graffiti reading “He lost and started killing. B…..d, resign!” on a bus stop shelter in Horki. A criminal case was initially opened by the Horki District Prosecutor’s Office under Art. 341 of the Criminal Code. Under pressure from investigators, Lazavik admitted involvement in the vandalism, but when on October 29 he refused to record a video confession, the prosecutor reclassified the charge under Part 1 of Art. 339 of the Criminal Code (hooliganism). On November 26, the Horki District Court sentenced Stefan Lazavik to 1 year in a general-security penal colony. Stefan Lazavik was an observer during the 2020 presidential election and took an active part in the post-election protests.
On December 7, 2020, in the village of Chaciežyna, Minsk district, police detained Viktar Losik, who was accused of hanging on a local bridge effigies of the Minister of Internal Affairs and chairperson of the precinct election commission. The effigies had signs reading “Never Forget! Never Forgive!”. Losik was also accused of spray-painting the Belarusian national coat-of-arms Pahonia on the bridge and on several local buildings. He was charged under Part 1 of Art. 339 (hooliganism) and Art. 341 of the Criminal Code (desecration of buildings and damage to property) and remanded in the pre-trial detention center in Žodzina. // 05.02.2021
