Over the past year, Belarusian civil society organizations have been under constant pressure and judicial persecution. This includes smear campaigns in the government-controlled media, criminal cases against civil society activists, numerous audits, police raids, detentions, and forced liquidations.
On the first anniversary of the unprecedented crackdown on the Human Rights Center Viasna ("Viasna") in Belarus, 23 international and Belarusian human rights organizations are launching a campaign to demand the release of seven detained Viasna members, and highlight the plight of hundreds of others, who have been prosecuted and jailed solely for exercising their rights to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression.
Joint statement by human rights organizations of Belarus
Minsk - August 10, 2020
We, representatives of Belarusian human rights organizations, strongly protest against the actions of law enforcement agencies against peaceful demonstrators.
Joint statement of human rights and other civil society organizations of Belarus
Minsk - July 10, 2020
On July 8, the Saviecki District Court of Minsk ruled to sentence Pavel Seviarynets to 15 days of administrative detention. According to the court ruling, Seviarynets called to join an unauthorized mass event near the Kamarouski market in Minsk on June 7, which violated the rules of organizing and holding assemblies established by the Law “On Mass Events” and accordingly committed an offense under Art 23.34 of the Code of Administrative Offenses.
Minsk - June 19, 2020
Minsk - June 11, 2020
We note the continuing crackdown on activists, civil society organizations and ordinary citizens in May 2020, despite calls from the country’s human rights community, international organizations and UN experts.
Statement by the human rights community of Belarus on the criminal charges against Siarhei Tsikhanouski and six other participants in the May 29 picket in Hrodna
Minsk - June 9, 2020
On May 29, during a picket held in Hrodna to collect signatures in support of the presidential nomination of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, police detained the head of her nomination group, blogger known for a popular YouTube channel “Country for Living” Siarhei Tsikhanouski and at least 15 other people who took part in the picket.
On March 25, Siarhei Satsuk, journalist and chief editor of the Internet daily “Ezhednevnik”, was arrested in Minsk. He was remanded in custody on March 26. On March 26 and 27, searches were carried out at Ezhednevnik’s office and in Satsuk’s apartment; office equipment and documents were seized.
It was known recently that in Belarus 52 thousand signatures were collected for the appeal to the Presidential Administration demanding "initiating the adoption of a law on prohibition of propaganda and public demonstration of homosexuality and other sexual perversions to minors and criminalizaiton of these actions in the Criminal Code." Furthermore, mass media published the Health Ministry‘s response to the collective appeal stating that «The Ministry stands for the promotion of traditional family values and supports the following proposals regarding the draft Law “On Amending Codes on A
On February 12, 2020, the Court of the Saviecki district of Minsk sentenced anarchists Mikita Yemialiyanau and Ivan Komar to seven years in prison each for damage to public property (Art. 341 of the Criminal Code), attempted intentional damage to property and intentional damage to property (Part 1 of Art. 14, Part 2 of Art. 218, Part 2 of Art. 218 of the Criminal Code), unlawful actions in respect of items the damaging effect of which is based on the use of combustibles (Part 2 of Art. 295-3 of the Code).
