Latest

On 25 May 2016, the United Nations Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture (SPT) suspended its visit to Ukraine. The SPT asserts that the Ukrainian government denied its delegation access to several places in the country – places where it suspects people are being deprived of their liberty by the Ukrainian Security Services. Such a suspension has only happened once before, in Azerbaijan.

Today, Azerbaijani journalist Khadija Ismayil turned 40. After 1, 5 years in prison, on May 25, the Baku Supreme Court released her. Nevertheless, the court released her on 3, 5 year probation with 2 year ban on professional activities. The international community claimed she was a political prisoner and criminal prosecution against her was connected with her journalistic activities.

The United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention made a visit to Azerbaijan between 16 and 25 May.

On 25 May 2016, the Supreme Court of Azerbaijan upheld Khadija Ismayil’s appeal and released her on probation. HRHN welcomes her release, and calls for the Azerbaijani authorities to fully rehabilitate her rights.

27 May is the birthday of Khadija Ismayilova, a well-known Azerbaijani journalist. Khadija was suddenly released on the eve of her birthday, so she spent her 40th anniversary out of the prison. In order to support her an international campaign “40 protests for Khadija Ismayilova’s 40th birthday!” was launched. The Barys Zvozskau Belarusian Human Rights House joined the campaign and called on the Azerbaijani authorities to immediately release all political prisoners.

27 мая – дзень нараджэння Хадзіджы Ісмаілавай, вядомай азербайджанскай журналісткі. Нечакана вызваленая напярэдадні свайго дня народзінаў, сваё 40-годдзе Хадзіджа сустрэла 27 мая на волі. Для таго, каб падтрымаць яе, была ініцыяваная міжнародная акцыя “40 пратэстаў да 40-годдзя Хадзіджы”. Беларускі дом правоў чалавека ім. Б. Звозскава далучыўся да кампаніі і разам з усімі заклікаў улады Азербайджана неадкладна вызваліць усіх палітычных зняволеных.

On the eve of the next round of the EU-Belarus human rights dialogue the Belarusian human rights organizations have prepared and announced a joint position on the human rights observance in Belarus.

Напярэдадні чарговага раунда Дыялога па правах чалавека беларускія праваабарончыя арганізацыі распрацавалі і заявілі супольную пазіцыю адносна выканання правоў чалавека ў Рэспубліцы Беларусь.

In 2012, a young Belarusian photographer spent more than a month in the KGB detention center for allegedly aiding the teddy bear air drop team to enter the country illegally. “Teddybear Airdrop” – a protest action against the violations of freedom of expression in Belarus, during which the Swedish citizens dropped a lot of teddy bears with different signs from an airplane.