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The Belarusian Human Rights House in exile in Vilnius (Lithuania) and the Human Rights House Foundation in Oslo (Norway) are deeply disappointed with the decision of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Belarus to turn down the appeal against non-registration of the human rights organisation Nasha Viasna. We consider this ruling a politically motivated denial of the human rights organisation’s right to freedom of association and call upon the Belarusian authorities to abide by the national laws and international instruments guaranteeing such a right.

The founders of the well-known Belarusian human rights association “Nasha Viasna” did not manage to get abolished the decision of the Ministry of Justice on the non-registration. The Supreme Court ruled that the Ministry had reasons to deny the state registration to the NGO.

It has been six months since the new law on mass media was enacted in the Republic of Belarus. Belarusian Association of Journalists has summed up the period under this new legislative act stressing both positive and negative moments. Andrei Bastunets, a BAJ deputy chair, thinks that “the new law does not guarantee a proper access to information for journalist and for the society at large.”

Ihar Bantsar, a Hrodna based journalist and editor in chief of Magazyn Polski na uchodzstwie/Polish magazine in exile, received an official warning from the prosecutor office for his professional activities. He thinks that it is a ‘political act’ on the side of authorities. The Polish language magazine was penalised only after it published satire on the head of the state.

Appeals submitted by activists of the United Democratic Forces were turned down by the Homiel district court on 22 July. The five men were prosecuted for staging an action on 7 May to commemorate the violent disappearance of General Yury Zakharanka, the former interior minister who was a fierce critic of President Lukashenka.

EU made a statement on the situation in the Republic of Belarus during the OSCE Permanent Council plenary meeting. EU noted with concern not fulfilling of fundamental freedoms, such as freedom of expression and association, by the authorities.

In May-June this year the second phase of seminars for Belarusian human rights defenders and lawyers, International Law in Advocacy, took place. Organisers and participants focused on improving their practices as well as learnt to use international law mechanisms for improving the human rights condition domestically.

In last days several authorities’ actions, which bluntly could be called as violations of the freedom of expression, guaranteed by the Constitution and international treaties, were recorded. Official warnings were issued for ‘illegal’ journalist activities as well as the access to information was denied to independent media on ideological grounds.

Judge of Vitsebsk regional court found the human rights activist guilty of stirring up religious and ethnic discord.