HRHF and Belarusian HRH's written statement on Belarus submitted to the Human Rights Council

Submitted by admin on Sat, 03/10/2012 - 09:13

Human Rights Council
Nineteenth session
Agenda item 4
Human rights situations that require the Council’s attention

Written statement* submitted by the Human Rights House Foundation, a non-governmental organization in special consultative status

The Secretary-General has received the following written statement which is circulated in
accordance with Economic and Social Council resolution 1996/31.

Continued human rights violations in the Republic of Belarus**

Since the 19 December 2010 presidential elections, authorities have been harshly repressing human rights defenders and their organisations, lawyers, journalists, and any person who raises a critical voice or shows concern about the human rights situation in Belarus, such as students and citizens peacefully assembling. 

On 21 February 2011, the High Commissioner for Human Rights gave the following assessment: “Acts of harassment and  political and administrative pressure against human rights defenders and NGOs also continue, including arrests, interrogation, office raids, confiscation of material, and intimidation designed to prevent contact with international and intergovernmental organizations. […] I have stressed before to the Belarus Government and I shall say it again: states have a duty to protect human rights defenders, journalists and civil society from threats, retaliation or pressure stemming from the legitimate exercise of their work in defence of human rights.”

The human rights situation in the Republic of Belarus has deteriorated since the Human Rights Council adopted the resolution at its 17th session (May-June 2011).

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News of Belarus

Human rights defender Tatsiana Reviaka questioned by KGB

Submitted by admin on Tue, 08/21/2012 - 21:33

Mrs. Tatsiana Reviaka, member of the Human Rights Center Viasna’s Council, has been summoned for “conversation” to the KGB central office, after she received an official writ, saying that she should be questioned “as a person being aware of circumstances that have significance for maintaining the national security of the Republic of Belarus.”

Tatsiana Reviaka visited the KGB office, accompanied by her lawyer.

Ales Bialiatski: “I am a persistent violator!”

Submitted by admin on Sun, 08/12/2012 - 13:33

Back in the middle of June the imprisoned head of the Human Rights Center “Viasna” Ales Bialiatski wrote in his letter to Valiantsin Stefanovich: “It seems to me that the reprimands I have received are not the last ones”. The new information from Babruisk, where Ales is currently kept, confirms these words. Thus, in his letter to Valiantsin Stefanovich of 5 August he writes about more reprimands, issued to him by the administration of penal colony #2.

Ukrainian civic activists express their disquiet about the visit of President of Belarus to Kyiv

Submitted by admin on Fri, 06/29/2012 - 18:01

Open appeal to the heads of states, diplomats and representatives of the international organizations:

Ukrainian human rights defenders, civic activists and concerned citizens express their disquiet about the planned visit of President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko to Kyiv on July 1st 2012.