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On Human Rights Day, 10 December, Human Rights House Network participates in launching the European campaign “Stand 4 Human Rights” with a short film called “What should the EU do for Human Rights?”.

The former political prisoner Vasil Parfiankou was sentenced to one year of imprisonment in a maximum security penal colony on charges of violating preventive police supervision restrictions. The Human Rights Center “Viasna” and the “Belarusian Helsinki Committeee” regard the sentencing as politically motivated persecution.

Былы палітвязень Васіль Парфянкоў асуджаны на год калоніі строгага рэжыму па абвінавачанні ў парушэнні правілаў адбыцця прэвентыўнага нагляду. Праваабарончы цэнтр “Вясна” і БХК расцэньваюць прысуд як палітычна матываны пераслед.

The District Court in Białystok found the journalist Endy Gęsina-Torres guilty of the charges but refrained from imposing a sentence. Mr Gęsina-Torres carried out a journalistic sting in the detention centre for foreigners in Białystok. The court ordered the defendant to pay PLN 2,000 for the Fund for Victim and Post-Penitentiary Support.

As in each year, the competition for the WATCH DOCS Award is the most exciting section of the festival. In 2013, more than ten documentaries from around the world compete for the title of the best film of the 13th Festival’s edition. As always, the international jury will select the film that will leave Warsaw with the prize.

Presidential elections were held in Georgia on 27 October 2013, it was the sixth presidential elections since the country’s restoration of independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. Giorgi Margvelashvili from the Georgian Dream won the elections with 62%. According to BBC news “The election is taking place is a peaceful and balanced environment. This is the first European-style election in Georgian history.”

Following the violent dispersal of the demonstration of 29-30 November in Kiev, the courts are now filling up with so-called “Euromaidan” activists charged for hooliganism and with lawyers acting pro bono.

Members and partners of the Human Rights House Network condemn in the strongest terms the excessive use of force by Ukrainian authorities to disperse peaceful demonstrations, following the refusal by Ukraine to sign the European Union association agreement.

On 28-29 November ByRoom event was held in Vilnius. This was a kind of Belarusian civil society forum, where activists had a chance to present the activities of non-governmental organizations, share ideas and participate in the discussion of important issues for Belarus during organized round tables. Thus, on 29 November, during a round table dedicated to the results the Summit of the Eastern Partnership, human rights defenders and other participants discussed ways to promote human rights in Belarus.

Following Armenia’s decision to join a customs union with the Russian Federation, President Vladimir Putin is visiting the country on Monday 2 December. The protests in favour of rapprochement with the European Union spread from Maidan in Kiev to Yerevan.

28-29 лістапада ў Вільні прайшоў ByRoom – своеасаблівы форум грамадзянскай супольнасці Беларусі, дзе актывісты змаглі прадставіць дзейнасць грамадскіх арганізацый, падзяліцца ідэямі і паўдзельнічаць у абмеркаванні важных для Беларусі пытанняў падчас арганізаваных круглых сталоў. Так, 29 лістапада падчас круглага стала па выніках Саміта Усходняга Партнёрства праваабаронцы і ўдзельнікі абмеркавалі шляхі прасоўвання правоў чалавека ў Беларусі.

“It should never happen in a democratic state ruled by law that a murder trial is pending for 18 years. The court, however, is not going to look for those responsible within the ranks of the Prosecution Service. The entire justice system – law enforcement bodies, first and second instance courts – should beat their breasts”, these were the summing-up words of the District Court Judge Igor Tuleya, who brought to an end the sixth trial in the case of Waldemar T. After 18 years, the defendant was acquitted once again.