In memory of Aleh Hulak
We are deeply saddened by the passing of our colleague Aleh Hulak, who was the Chairperson of the Belarusian Helsinki Committee. Aleh was an accomplished advocate and defender of human rights and democarcy, and a leading figure in the Belarusian human rights movement. In 1996, he joined the Belarusian Helsinki Committee (BHC) which later became […]
Viasna statement in connection with the sentencing of Marfa Rabkova and Andrei Chapiuk
STATEMENT ON THE VERDICT OF MARFA RABKOVA AND ANDREI CHAPIUK On September 6, 2022, the judging panel of Minsk Municipal Court Read the full statement here https://spring96.org/en/news/108947
International human rights organizations: Release Marfa Rabkova and Andrei Chapiuk immediately
JOINT STATEMENT Paris-Geneva, September 5, 2022 – On September 6, Minsk City Court will pronounce the verdict in the politically motivated and harrowing case of human rights defenders Maria (Marfa) Rabkova and Andrei Chapiuk, in a climate of sweeping repression of civil society in Belarus. The signatory organisations call for their immediate and unconditional […]
Referendum 2022: Final report
Significant violations of national legislation and the fundamental principles of holding fair and democratic elections during the referendum, including depriving observers of the opportunity to witness the vote count, does not give grounds to trust the election results announced by the CEC.
Referendum 2022: Final report
Final analytical report of the expert mission to assess the national referendum of 2022 on the issue of amendments and additions to the Constitution of the Republic of Belarus Summary Preparations for the referendum took place against the backdrop of a profound socio-political crisis triggered by the presidential election of August 2020 […]
Human Rights Situation in April 2022
Summary The war in Ukraine and its consequences have dramatically changed the current agenda in Europe and the rest of the world. The Human Rights Center Viasna (Viasna – hereinafter) strongly condemns the actions of Belarusian and Russian authorities that undermine the principles of peaceful coexistence of peoples, violate the Constitution and laws of […]
Human Rights Situation in Belarus: March 2022
Summary The ongoing war in Ukraine and its consequences have radically changed the current agenda in Europe and in the world; democratic countries have imposed new sanctions and restrictions on Belarus because of the Belarusian authorities’ support for Russia’s aggression. The Human Rights Center Viasna strongly increase steadily. Members of the Human Rights Center Viasna continue […]
Constitutional referendum – findings and conclusions
Referendum 2022: Analytical report on election campaigning
SUMMARY The referendum and related events remain out of the attention of the general public. The attitude to the referendum is characterized as “indifferent and hostile” and a tendency to boycott is noted. Among the reasons for such an attitude are the general tense atmosphere in society due to the COVID-19 epidemic, the continuous repression […]
No opposition nominees selected for PEC seats
The Belarusian Helsinki Committee and the Human Rights Center “Viasna” within their joint campaign “Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections” released an analytical report on the formation of precinct election commissions for the National Referendum scheduled for February 27, 2022. None of the nominated opposition representatives (42 persons) secured a seat on the commissions.