Belarus: PACE committee proposes the nomination of Ales Bialiatski for the 2013 PACE Human Rights Prize

Submitted by admin on Fri, 10/05/2012 - 20:24

Strasbourg, 04.10.2012 – In a statement adopted today in Strasbourg, the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) announced its unanimous decision to support the proposal by Andres Herkel (Estonia, EPP/CD), rapporteur on the situation in Belarus, to nominate Ales Bialiatski – the human rights defender sentenced on 24 November 2011 to four and a half years’ imprisonment – for the 2013 PACE Human Rights Prize.

In its statement, the committee reiterated its call to the Belarusian authorities “immediately and unconditionally to release and rehabilitate all political prisoners, including those who have been pardoned”, pointing out that twelve political prisoners remain in jail and that there are serious reports and allegations of torture, inadequate medical care and lack of access to legal assistance.

An information note by Mr Herkel, made public today, also stresses that “the situation of human rights and democracy has not improved in Belarus since the adoption of the Assembly’s last resolution in January 2012”. Human rights and political freedoms continue to be trampled on and political opponents harassed. The note also points out that no further steps have been taken towards abolition of the death penalty or a moratorium on executions. On the contrary, two executions have been carried out in 2012.

Statement

Information note

Resolution 1857 (2012) (PDF)

Recommendation 1992 (2012) (PDF)

Interview with Mr Herkel

http://assembly.coe.int/ASP/NewsManager/EMB_NewsManagerView.asp?ID=8045&L=2

 

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News of Belarus

Tough sentences announced to Brest antifascists

Submitted by admin on Mon, 10/05/2015 - 21:00

A verdict was delivered today in the case of Brest antifascists acused of participation in a group fight with neonazis which happened on May 8, 2013.

Antifascists were tried under the art. 339.3 (malicious group hooliganism) and 147.2 (malicious bodily harm). The case was qualified as malicious due to the fact of pepper spray usage in the fight.

Dzmitry Stsyashenka got 5 years of penal colony with reinforced regime (339.3) and 500 euro of damages to be paid to the injured nazis.

Exclusive: European Union moves to suspend sanctions on Belarus

Submitted by admin on Wed, 09/16/2015 - 21:00

The European Union is likely to lift some sanctions on Belarus, including its travel ban on President Alexander Lukashenko, after he freed a group of political prisoners last month, diplomatic sources say.

An arms embargo against the former Soviet republic would remain. But in an overture to the man the West calls Europe's "last dictator", diplomats are looking at suspending visa bans and asset freezes on most of around 200 people under sanctions for rights abuses, some since disputed elections in 2004.