Human rights defender Tatsiana Reviaka questioned by KGB

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.

The human rights defender says the summons is linked to her activities and the ongoing harassment of Viasna and its activists intensified after the arrest of its leader Ales Bialiatski.

The interrogation dealt with an article entitled “Mahiliou KGB interferes with electoral process”, published on the www.spring96.org web-site on 15 August, said Mrs. Reviaka after the questioning. KGB officer Aliaksandr Matskevich also inquired on the source of the information and its author. He then asked whether Tatsiana Reviaka checked the data mentioned in the article.

In turn, Mrs. Reviaka said the publication could not discredit the KGB.

As a result, Tatsiana Reviaka was warned over the publication of unchecked information on Viasna’s web-site.
http://spring96.org/en/news/55955

News of Belarus

UN human rights office calls on Belarus to free opposition leaders

20 April 2012
Following the release last week of two opposition leaders from prison in Belarus, the UN human rights office today called on the country’s authorities to begin dialogue with the opposition and to unconditionally release all prisoners who are serving sentences for exercising their fundamental human rights.

Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy Štefan Füle today launched the European Dialogue on Modernisation

Brussels, 29 March 2012. Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy Štefan Füle today launched the European Dialogue on Modernisation with Belarusian society at a meeting in Brussels with representatives of Belarusian civil society and political opposition. This follows the conclusions of the Foreign Affairs Council last week welcoming the idea of launching such a dialogue with the Belarusian society.

Belarusian government appeals individual communications of Belarusian citizens at UN

The Belarusian authorities disagree with the registration of 56 individual communications of Belarusian citizens at the UN Human Rights Committee.