We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Viktar Adzinochanka (Victor Odinochenko) — a Belarusian scholar, expert on religious freedom, and representative of the Belarusian Helsinki Committee (BHC) in the Homiel region until the organization was dissolved by the Ministry of Justice in 2021.
BHC informed the UN Special Rapporteurs on freedom of opinion and expression, the situation of human rights defenders and the situation of human rights in Belarus about the recognition of our resources as "extremist materials".
By the decision of the Court of the Zheleznodorozhny District of Homel on June 7, 2024, which took place without prior notification and participation of representatives of the organization, the BHC's resources, including the Facebook page and the official website, were recognized as "extremist".
This means that now BHC, and through us other Belarusian civil society organizations that protect human rights, have an easier way of communicating with the UN.
Having this status, non-governmental organizations are given a number of opportunities: to cooperate more closely with the ECOSOC and its bodies, the right to participate in international events and conferences held within the framework of the UN, to make oral and written statements within the framework of these events, to have access to the UN territory, etc.
Major international human rights organizations issued the joint open letter to the Ministry of Justice to withdraw the lawsuit requesting the liquidation of the Belarusian Helsinki Committee so that «the organization can continue to carry out its important work, protecting human rights for everyone in Belarus».
On September 10, 2021 the Supreme Court will held a preliminary hearing on the claim to liquidation of the Belarusian Helsinki Committee.
On September 7, 2021 the BHC has received a statement of claim of the Ministry of Justice requesting the liquid of the Belarusian Helsinki Committee.
