300 detained in protests across Belarus
Protester detained in Minsk on September 23, 2020. Photo by Vadzim Zamirouski, TUT.BY According to Viasna’s database, at least three hundred protesters were detained last night across the country, as thousands of people protested the unannounced inauguration of Aliaksandr Lukashenka. Riot police and other security forces, including officers in civilian clothes, arrested demonstrators in […]
Over 250 criminal cases opened since launch of election
Since the announcement of the presidential election in early May, the authorities have opened over 250 criminal cases targeting presidential candidates, members of their campaign teams, and peaceful protesters. Viasna knows the names of 200 persons affected by these cases. Sixty-eight persons on the list have been called Tsikhanouski case”, and also several protesters detained following […]
Viasna activist Marfa Rabkova is political prisoner
Marfa Rabkova, volunteer coordinator of the Human Rights Center “Viasna”, detained 17 September 2020. Photo: Viasna. On September 17, officers of GUBAZIK (Interior Ministry’s Main Directorate for Combating Organized Crime and Corruption) Guidelines on the Definition of Political Prisoners, adopted at the 3rd Belarusian Human Rights Forum, we, representatives of Belarusian human rights organizations, consider human […]
List of political prisoners detained over “rioting” charges increases
Marfa Rabkova, volunteer coordinator of the Human Rights Center “Viasna”, detained 17 September 2020. Photo: Viasna. A volunteer coordinator of EPDE’s member organization, the Human Rights Center “Viasna”, as well as her husband were detained yesterday over charges of causing mass riots. Meanwhile, her husband has been released, however her whereabouts are unknown. There […]
Lukashenko’s offer: What to think of constitutional reform in Belarus?
On 18 September, Democracy Reporting International (DRI) co-hosted with the EPDE an online debate with a dozen constitutional experts from Belarus and beyond to discuss the country’s constitution. The discussion was held under the Chatham House Rule. Participants agreed that Belarus’s current constitutional set-up is illegal. This is because President Lukashenko forced constitutional amendments through in 1996 […]
Belarus Election Alert #7
A volunteer coordinator of EPDE’s member organization, the Human Rights Center “Viasna”, as well as her husband were detained yesterday over charges of causing mass riots. Meanwhile, her husband has been released. There is a growing pressure on civil society in the country as authorities’ repressions continue. Human rights organizations as well as the European […]
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, […]