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 […]
Deepened political crisis in Azerbaijan during the COVID-19 pandemic
This document analyzes the measures taken by the state with regards to the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) in Azerbaijan and the implementation of quarantine rules and describes the new political situation in the country in the light of increasing political persecution during the quarantine period. The Election Monitoring and Democracy Studies Center (EMDS) referred to national […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
Neither potential election candidates, nor voters are on equal footing
Promo-LEX presented its second interim report on the monitoring of the presidential election scheduled for 1 November 2020. Key conclusions from their observation refers to the pre-registration of voters abroad, unequal opportunities for potential candidates, unreported campaign expenses, and contestants taking credit for activities funded by public money. Pre-registration of voters voting abroad and in […]
Third interim report of pre-election monitoring of the Parliamentary elections
International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy has been monitoring the pre-election period of the October 31, 2020 parliamentary elections of Georgia since June 1. The monitoring is implemented with the support of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the European Union (EU). The third interim report of the pre-election monitoring covers […]
Trend against established parties. Candidates under undue pressure.
Image source: dw.com Last weekend’s regional and local elections in Russia represented a final rehearsal ahead of next year’s federal parliamentary elections. This was also the last election to be managed by the acting composition of the Russian Central Election Commission (CEC) and its chairperson, Ella Pamfilova, whose term in office is to expire […]
Unlevel playing field in regional and local elections
Image source: news.sky.com The regional and local elections scheduled on 13 September 2020 are to be the first major electoral campaign in Russia to take place following the passing of the Constitutional amendments and the introduction of the epidemiological restrictions. A total of 9071 campaigns are taking place incl. State Duma by-elections in four […]