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Presentation of the book, calendar, children’s colouring book, postcards dedicated to Ploshcha 2010
Belarusian Human Rights House (Lithuania) in conjunction with the Human Rights Centre “Viasna” (Belarus) and the Civil Company “Our House” (Belarus) invites to the presentation of the book, calendar, children’s colouring book, postcards, and a number of video clips dedicated to the participants of 2010 Ploshcha – a peaceful protest that took place in Belarus on 19 December, 2010 against irregularities that occurred during the presidential elections in Belarus. The event will take place on 16 January, 2012 at 14:00.The peaceful demonstration was violently dispersed by police, hundreds of people were put behind bars. Events of 19 December, 2010 started an unprecedented wave of repression in Belarus, which continues to this day.
Authorities tighten the grip on Internet in Belarus
On 6 January the amendments to the Administrative Offences Code and Code of Executive Procedures of Administrative Offences will come into force in Belarus. The amendments stipulate fines for violation of Internet filtering.
Belarus: Havel vs Lukashenko
One of the last acts of Vaclav Havel was signature of the statement calling for free speech in Belarus. He signed the document along with Ai Weiwei. “Prison taught them both of the evils of totalitarianism”, said Irina Bogdanova, sister of political prisoner Andrei Sannikov, sentenced to five years hard labour for “organizing a mass disturbance” after last year’s Presidential elections. “Confronting evil means taking action”, she says.
Bialiatski learned about his father’s death on the funeral day
On 24 December, at the age of 84, died Viktar Bialiatski, father of convicted human rights defender Ales Bialiatski. Before that, Ales’ wife Natallia Pinchuk has made every effort to get the permission for the meeting of the son and the father. However, Bialiatski did not manage to meet his father, nor was he allowed to attend the funeral. Later he was convoyed to Minsk morgue for parting with his father.
December 19 – year after the elections
On 19 December 2011, the action in memory of the violent crackdown on peaceful protest after presidential elections that happened a year ago was held in Minsk. This year, the rally has again ended with brutal detentions and arrests.
Ales Bialiatski – human rights defender of the year
On 13 December, the traditional prize for the extraordinary achievements in the field of human rights was awarded to five people. Ales Bialiatski was recognised as the human rights defender of the year unanimously.
The president’s administration did not accept the signatures for the abolition of death penalty
On 9 December Belarusian and foreign human rights defenders tried to pass to the administration of Aliaksandr Lukashenka a box with 165,000 signatures of citizens of 30 countries around the world. These people called upon the head of Belarus to abolish the death penalty or to impose a moratorium on its implementation. However, the signatures were no accepted in the administration.
Parallel Conference of Civil Society of OSCE countries in Vilnius
On 5 December the participants of parallel Conference of Civil Society of OSCE countries in Vilnius discussed the problematic issues related to human rights in Belarus.
Belarus may define “torture”
Prosecutor General’s Office of the Republic of Belarus supports the introduction of the definition of “torture” to the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus .