The Review consists of two parts, the first covers the main factors influencing the human rights situation, and the second one reflects the situation with freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, freedom of association and the administration of justice in the country.

Although, according to the authors of the review, the human rights situation in Belarus did not undergo any substantial changes during the reported period, a series of events can be marked out which influenced this situation.

One of the most important was the armed conflict in Ukraine. Minsk was chosen as a platform for discussion and search for solutions of this conflict. Participation of Belarus in the solution of the Ukrainian question has slightly improved the rating of Aliaksandr Lukashenka and image of the country, and brought the current state authorities somewhat closer to Europe. At the same time, the authorities started to be concerned about the Kyiv scenario in advance of the presidential elections, these concerns inevitably affecting the freedom of assembly in Belarus.

Socio-economical problems, caused by the Russian financial crisis as well, also played a significant role. The Belarusian ruble sunk significantly in the beginning of the year, and real earnings of people reduced as well.

As a result of these events many Belarusian people have lost their work. This situation has been significantly complicated with the prospects of adoption of the Decree on prevention of social parasitism, which stipulates that “citizens of the Republic of Belarus, foreign citizens, and stateless persons who were granted permission to resident habitually in the Republic of Belarus, in case of their non-contribution to financing of public expenditure or contribution to such financing for less than 183 calendar days during the tax period”, have to pay the public expenditure financing levy.

The situation on freedom of expression in the first quarter of 2015 was characterized by a further intensification of the authorities’ control over the information space of the country. Several news sites were blocked again for a few days. Persecution of freelance journalists for contribution to foreign mass media without an accreditation also continued. The number of warnings, issued by the Ministry of Information to editorial boards of mass media for insignificant reasons, has increased.

On the whole, during first three months of 2015, a tendency continued which was typical for previous periods, namely strong restriction of possibility to exercise the right to peaceful assembly, which is guaranteed by the Constitution. No alterations were introduced into the legislation concerning this sphere.

A tendency to extensive interpretation of provisions of the law of the Republic of Belarus On mass events may also be noted. The law enforcement bodies and courts equate literally every gathering of people in a public place to a mass event. Moreover, this interpretation is selective and depends on political expediency.

The situation on the freedom of association and the administration of justice in the country did not have any significant changes. The rules, set in the legislation, prevents access to foreign funding of civil society organizations and the practice of groundless refusals to register organisations remains intact, including the practice of refusals on the ground of insignificant drawbacks of documents.

As an example of the positive practice, aimed at implementation of the constitutional right of citizens to information, human rights defenders note, that the courts keep informing the public about consideration of most sensitive and significant cases. In this context, it should be also mentioned, that on 27 February the Supreme Court drew up a list of people who are responsible for the interaction with media in courts of the Republic of Belarus. Issues of photographing and video filming before and during judicial proceedings should be also addressed to these persons.

The full version of the review is attached.

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The analytical report is the result of cooperation between the Belarusian human rights organizations: Belarusian Helsinki Committee (RHRPA “BHC”), The Belarusian Association of Journalists (PA “BAJ”), The Assembly Of Pro-Democratic NGOs of Belarus, Legal Transformation Center, Human Rights Center “Viasna”, Committee “Salidarnasc”.

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