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On the occasion of Freedom Day on 25 March, the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania hosted discussion “2015 in Belarus – when the geopolitics takes precedence over the values ​​of democracy” during which important issues of the current situation in the country and the Belarusian-European relations were discussed.

З нагоды Дня Волі 25 сакавіка ў Сейме Літоўскай Рэспублікі адбылася дыскусія «2015 год у Беларусі – калі геапалітыка бярэ верх над каштоўнасцямі дэмакратыі», падчас якой былі закранутыя важныя пытанні сучаснай сітуацыі ўнутры краіны і беларуска-еўрапейскіх адносін.

On 17 March, 2015, the hearing on a lawsuit to close down the only registered regional human rights organisation in the country – the Mahiliou Human Rights Center (MHRC) has started. This lawsuit comes amidst an ongoing crackdown on human rights defenders by the Belarusian authorities.

17 сакавіка 2015 г. пачаўся разгляд справы аб ліквідацыі адзінай зарэгістраванай рэгіянальнай праваабарончай арганізацыі ў краіне – Магілёўскага праваабарончага цэнтра (МПЦ). Разгляд справы праходзіць на фоне наступу на праваабаронцаў, які працягваецца з боку беларускіх уладаў.

At the occasion of the presentation by the United Nations Special Rapporteur on minority issues of her report on Ukraine, the Human Rights Council discussed the situation of minorities in Ukraine, especially in regard to the developments in Crimea since February 2014.

Use of unregistered grants has been at the core of the charges against human rights lawyer Intigam Aliyev. In court the defence provided rebuttal of prosecutors’ version.

Human Rights House Tbilisi and its member organizations condemn screening the photo-video footage of violence to the underage children. It is absolutely inadmissible to show the photo and video footage of the prison scenes on torture and other cruelties to the adults of the age from 12 to 18. If their participation is confirmed in the event, it can be qualified as violence against children. In addition to that, the fact of showing such violent footage can traumatize under age children and also, there is a risk of simulation of the violent act by them. The state shall take measures to protect children from the information that harms their well-being (which is guaranteed by the Article 17 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child).

“The referendum in Crimea was just a clown show, it had nothing to do with democracy and this should not be forgotten”, argues Refat Chubarov, Head of the Mejilis of the Crimean Tatar People, at a side-event on the margins of the 28th session of the UN Human Rights Council.

In a joint statement to the United Nations Human Rights Council, leading international human rights organisations call upon Azerbaijan “to put an end to the systematic punishment of leaders of civil society, and to immediately and unconditionally release all human rights defenders, journalists and activists held in custody.”

The Human Rights House Foundation, in cooperation with the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights (Ukraine), the Center for Civil Liberties, the Human Rights House Kyiv, the “Almenda” Civic Education Center and the Head of Mejilis of the Crimean Tatar People (Ukraine), is pleased to invite you to the side event:

“The Human Rights Situation in Ukraine”

The traditional Independence Day celebration will take place in Vilnius on March 25. On this day, 97 years ago, the independence of the Belarusian Democratic Republic was proclaimed.

The Baku Court on Grave Crimes has been discussing the cases of the arrested human rights defenders for two months already. On March 10, the Court continued discussion into the case of Intigam Aliyev, Azerbaijan human rights defender, who was arrested on August 8, 2014. The main part of the hearing was spent on the discussion of solicitations from the defense side. Interrogation of the witness caused conflict in the courtroom for what the judge postponed the process.