oint statement by the Belarusian human rights community
November 12 , 2023
On the International Day of Solidarity with Belarus, we, representatives of the human rights community of Belarus, declare.
Joint statement by the Belarusian human rights community
September 18, 2023
We, representatives of the human rights community of the Republic of Belarus, having received, collected, and analyzed information about the criminal prosecution by the Belarusian authorities of participants of peaceful assemblies during and after the 2020 presidential elections, the sentences and their execution against the participants, the legal status of those convicted under the so-called "extremist" articles of the Criminal Code, note the following:
Statement by Belarusian human rights organizations in connection with the recognition of Viasna as an extremist organization
We, the Belarusian human rights organizations, strongly protest against the declaration of the Viasna Human Rights Center as an extremist organization and express our solidarity with our colleagues.
It became known on 11 July 2023 that the Belarusian political prisoner, artist Aleś Puškin [Ales Pushkin] died in the hospital’s intensive care unit. According to reports, he developed peritonitis due to untimely medical care, resulting in a septic condition and multiple organ failure.
We state that the initiative of the Prosecutor General's Office is an unjustified interference of the state in the personal life of citizens. It contradicts the international obligations of the Republic of Belarus in the sphere of human rights, including sexual and reproductive rights, as well as poses a threat to various vulnerable groups (including, but not limited to the LGBTQ community, teenagers, women).
The initiative contradicts a number of basic human rights:
Belarusian authorities should immediately end the ill-treatment of Maria Kalesnikava and all the other political prisoners, 24 international and Belarusian rights groups said today. Kalesnikava is being held in solitary confinement and is not receiving adequate medical care despite serious health problems. She is being denied essential foods and medicines.
On May 24, 2023, a video was published on the official account of the Faculty of Law of Belarusian State University on Instagram, where a student of the Faculty of Law of Belarusian State University “confesses” to disseminating “discrediting information regarding the administration of the Faculty of Law, as well as information discrediting the Belarusian Republican Youth Union of the Faculty of Law.” We, Belarusian human rights organizations, draw attention to the fact that the creation and distribution of such videos is unacceptable and is an illegal action.
Statement by the human rights community of Belarus
On May 7, 2023, it was reported that political prisoner Mikalai Klimovich died in Penal Colony No. 3, Vićba town. He was convicted under Article 368 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus (“insulting the president”). At present, the cause of death and other circumstances leading to this tragedy are unknown. In light of another political prisoner's death in Belarus, we believe it is necessary to make the following statement.
We, Belarusian human rights organizations, strongly protest against the recognition of the Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAJ) as an extremist formation and express solidarity with our colleagues.
We, Belarusian human rights organizations, strongly protest against the indictment brought against leaders and members of the Viasna Human Rights Centre and express our solidarity with them and their colleagues.
