Viasna Human Rights Centre
Founded | April 1996 |
---|---|
Founders | |
Type |
|
Services | Protecting human rights |
Fields | Practical assistance to civic initiatives, research into the state of the civic society, civic and human rights education[1] |
Chairman | Ales Bialiatski (currently imprisoned) |
Website | spring96.org |
The Viasna Human Rights Centre (
History
The Viasna Human Rights Centre, registered in Minsk in 1997, was liquidated in October 2003 by a decision of the
In 2005, Bialatski and Viasna won the
Following a widespread crackdown on political activists protesting a controversial
On 26 November 2012, in accordance with a court ruling against Bialatski, the Minsk office of Viasna was confiscated and sealed by the Belarusian government.[9] Amnesty International described the closure as "a blatant violation of Belarus' international human rights obligations".[10]
Following the 2020–2021 Belarusian protests, the Viasna Human Rights Centre together with the Rehabilitation and Research Centre for Torture Victims, REDRESS and the International Committee for Investigation of Torture in Belarus founded the International Accountability Platform for Belarus. In a joint declaration, 19 states expressed their full support for the establishment of such a platform.[11]
In the ongoing crackdown on independent media and human rights defenders in Belarus, ‘Viasna’ suffered from significant pressure. Leanid Sudalenka, lawyer of the Homieĺ (Gomel) branch of Viasna, Maria Rabkova and Tatsiana Lasitsa, Viasna’s volunteers, were arrested with criminal charges. Rabkova spent more than 6 month in the pre-trial detention.[12] On February 16, 2021, the Investigative Committee searched Viasna’s headquarters in Minsk and regional offices, raided employees' homes. A criminal case against the activists was opened under Article 342, meaning “organising or preparing actions that grossly violate the public order or taking active part in such actions”. Dzmitry Salauyou, board member of ‘Viasna’, was detained and beaten by the police.[13] The persecution of ‘Viasna’ members continues, politically motivated charges have been levelled on Valiantsin Stefanovich, Uladzimir Labkovich and Ales Bialiatski.[14][15]
In 2022, Viasna founder Bialiatski was awarded the
In the winter of 2021–2022, the Belarusian authorities recognized Viasna’s Internet resources as extremist materials,[17][18] and in August 2023, Viasna was declared an extremist group. Participation in the activities of an extremist group is a criminal offense under Belarusian law.[19]
Awards
In May 2022, the human rights center "Viasna" was awarded The Albie Awards 2022, established by the "Clooney Foundation for Justice", in the nomination "Justice for Democracy Defenders". The award ceremony took place in September in New York. Alina Stefanovich, the wife of political prisoner and human rights activist Valentin Stefanovich, received the award on behalf of "Viasna".
On October 7, 2022, it became known that the head of the "Viasna" Ales Bialiatski was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize together with the Center for Civil Liberties (Ukraine) and "Memorial" (Russia).
On December 8, 2022, the awarding ceremony of the human rights prize "The Human Rights Tulip 2022", established by the Government of the Netherlands, was held in The Hague. The human rights center "Viasna" became the winner of the award.
On December 10, 2022, the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded, on behalf of one of the laureates, Belarusian political prisoner Ales Bialiatski, his wife, Natalia Pinchuk, accepted a medal and diploma, and also read a lecture. The Belarusian authorities did not give the laureate the opportunity to take part in the ceremony, as they continued to keep him in custody.
In December 2023, the Centre was awarded the United Nations Prize in the Field of Human Rights.[20]
References
- ^ "About Viasna". Viasna Human Rights Centre. Retrieved 17 November 2022.
- ^ a b "Homo Homini Award". People in Need. 2005. Retrieved 3 June 2011.
- ^ "Правозащитники: За июнь в Беларуси осудили 125 участников протестов" [Human rights activists: 125 protesters convicted in June in Belarus]. www.dw.com. 1 July 2021. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
- ^ "United Nations to Belarus: Release political prisoners". Kyiv Post. 2011-01-11. Retrieved 2011-01-11.
- ^ "Who attacked Belarusian government building?". Polskie Radio. 2010-12-20. Retrieved 2010-12-23.
- ^ Ales Bialatski (14 March 2011). "Shattering Hopes". Human Rights Watch. Retrieved 3 June 2011.
- ^ Ales Bialatski (24 May 2011). "Testimony of Ales Bialatski". dailymotion.com. Retrieved 3 June 2011.
- ^ "Warning against Mr. Ales Bialatski". International Federation for Human Rights. 16 February 2011. Retrieved 3 June 2011.
- ^ Artur Smirnow (28 November 2012). "Minsk authorities close human rights office". Deutsche Welle. Archived from the original on 28 November 2012. Retrieved 28 November 2012.
- ^ "Belarus evicts leading human rights organization". Amnesty International. 26 November 2012. Archived from the original on 29 November 2012. Retrieved 28 November 2012.
- ^ "HRDs launch International Accountability Platform for Belarus". Viasna Human Rights Centre. 24 March 2021.
- ^ "Belarus: Arbitrary detention of Viasna members Leanid Sudalenka and Tatsiana Lasitsa". International Federation for Human Rights. 2021-02-08. Retrieved 2021-08-25.
- ^ "Belarus: Judicial harassment against the Human Rights Centre 'Viasna'". International Federation for Human Rights. 2021-03-10. Retrieved 2021-08-25.
- ^ "Belarus: Acts of harassment against the Human Rights Centre Viasna". International Federation for Human Rights. 2021-02-26. Retrieved 2021-08-25.
- ^ "One Year Since Belarus' Rigged Elections, Human Rights Situation Continues to Deteriorate". Civil Rights Defender. 2021-08-09. Retrieved 2021-08-25.
- ^ "The Nobel Peace Prize 2022". NobelPrize.org. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
- ^ ""Экстрэмісцкімі" прызналі праваабарончы тэлеграм-канал ПЦ "Вясна" і ўсе іх сацсеткі". Novy Chas (in Belarusian). 2021-12-30.
- ^ "Усю інфармацыйную прадукцыю "Вясны" прызналі экстрэмісцкай". Novy Chas (in Belarusian). 2022-01-31.
- ^ "Belarus: Viasna Human Rights Center declared an "extremist formation"". International Federation for Human Rights. 2023-08-28.
- ^ "2023 recipients, UN Human Rights Prize". OHCHR. Retrieved 10 December 2023.
Literature
- Ioffe, Grigory; ISBN 978-1538117057.
External links
- Belarusian Human Rights Centre “Viasna” (the official site)
- Human Rights Center Viasna: 15 years of persecution