Kalesnikava, Znak and Salei are new political prisoners
Image source: gazetaby.com On September 9, the authorities arrested Maryia Kalesnikava, a member of the presidium of the Coordination Council for Resolving the Political Crisis, lawyer Maksim Znak and lawyer Illia Salei. Their apartments were searched and the detainees were taken to the Investigative Committee for questioning. On September 7, Maryia Kalesnikava was abducted by unknown persons in […]
Human Rights Situation in Belarus: August 2020
Image source: rferl.org Summary: on August 9, the Belarusian presidential election culminated in Election Day, which took place against the background of continuous repressions, an atmosphere of fear and intimidation in society; the electoral process did not meet international standards for free and democratic elections. The elections were marred by numerous violations and falsifications, […]
EaP CSF Belarus Monitoring Mission Report
The Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum Belarus Monitoring Mission has released their final monitoring report on Belarus. The report asserts that the presidential elections in the Republic of Belarus cannot be considered free or fair due to several violations of democratic norms and standards. As a result, the EaP CSF Monitoring Mission has developed a set of recommendations to […]
150 detained in weekend protests
Peaceful protest action in Minsk on August 30, 2020. Photo: spring96.org 125 people were detained during yesterday’s protest as tens of thousands continued to stage daily demonstrations in various cities of Belarus, according to the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Twenty-nine were detained the day before yesterday, during a women’s protest in Minsk. Most detainees, […]
Financial police arrest another member of opposition coordination council
Liliya Ulasava Liliya Ulasava, a famous mediator and a member of the presidium of the Coordination Council, has been arrested by officers of the Department for Financial Investigations, according to a Council member Maksim Znak. Ulasava was detained after coming to a district police department in Minsk to provide explanations about her alleged involvement in […]
Police go back to arrests of peaceful protesters, strikers and opposition figures
Police detain protester in Independence Square in Minsk. August 24, 2020. Photo: tut.by Thirty-nine protesters faced administrative charges following yesterday’s protests in a number of Belarusian cities, the Interior Ministry’s spokesperson said. Three criminal cases were opened to investigate alleged violence against police officers, it said. Siarhei Verameyenka, an activist in Hrodna, faced criminal charges […]
What can the OSCE do in Belarus?
Image source: N1 info Many politicians and commentators have called for the involvement of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) in Belarus. The OSCE is a security body which includes 57 participating states, including all states of Europe, the US and Canada. It has a comprehensive approach to security that encompasses […]
Protesters detained in dozens again, several sentenced to prison sentences
Teachers protesting outside the Ministry of Education in Minsk. The protests was prompted by Aliaksandr Lukashenka’s threat to expel disloyal educators from schools. August 25, 2020. Photo: tut.by Over fifty protesters were detained on 25 August during and after several demonstrations held in Minsk, Homieĺ, Hrodna and Babrujsk. Some of them were released, but […]
EPDE welcomes EU, US, and the Russian Federation’s call for OSCE facilitation in Belarus
Protesters unfold a banner reading “Fair Elections, Court Trial, Freedom for Political Prisoners” during the rally in Minsk, 16 August, 2020. Credit: Natalia Fedosenko / TASS EPDE Statement: The European Platform for Democratic Elections appreciates the latest developments with the United States, the European Union and the Russian President Putin having called on the […]
HRDs call to release political prisoners held on rioting charges
Peaceful protester detained in Minsk. August 10, 2020. Photo: belsat.eu Following reports about the arrest of activists of the campaign headquarters of former presidential nominee Viktar Babaryka — Liavon Khalatran, Anton Bialinski, Ihar Bialinski, Andrei Pazniak, Siarhei Mikhayenka, Yury Vaskrasenski, Artur Vaskrasenski, Ihar Yarmolau, Artsiom Moladau, Aliaksandra Moladava and Uladzislau Karenski — as suspects in a criminal case […]
