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On May 11, Belarus set a sad record: 27 people were tried on accusations of involvement in the 19 December elections protests. Among the 27 was ex-candidate for presidency Uladzimir Niakliayeu, right. Politically motivated sentences were condemned by prominent European politicians, who urge to punish Belarusian authorities with economic sanctions or cancellation of World Ice Hockey Championship – 2014 in Minsk

Despite international criticism, Belarusian judges keep pronouncing harsh sentences for the December 19 protesters. Belarusian authorities also expel members of the International Human Rights Observation Mission. Independent newspapers in the country are under threat of being shut down, while the police continue to enjoy impunity.

On May 13, at 13:00 the Lithuanian Parliament is hosting the opening of a photo exhibition dedicated to the events of 19 December, 2010 in Belarus, that initiated unprecedented wave of repressions. The exposition contains the photos from after-election protest demonstration in Belarus. At the same time, you will have a chance to visit a press-conference on the occasion of 15th anniversary of Human Rights Centre “Viasna”.

The Human Rights House Network is deeply concerned about the actions taken by the Belarusian authorities, police, KGB, and judicial system against human rights defenders and their organisations, lawyers, journalists, students, and other citizens of the Republic of Belarus.

The Belarusian Ministry of Information sues two major independent newspapers in the country – “Nasha Niva” and “Narodnaya Volya” – in order to shut them down. Voicing their protest, the members of the Belarusian Association of Journalists promise to “do all in [their] power for Belarus not to lose these voices of liberty, that are symbolic for the whole nation”.

For the first time in the history of independent Belarus, the traditional “Chernobyl rally” did not happen on 26 April. The event to commemorate the victims of the worst ever nuclear disaster was prohibited by the authorities. In an atmosphere of fear and repression, nobody dared to exercise their freedom of assembly without permission, although the nuclear energy issue has once again become important in Belarus.

The deadly blast in the Minsk underground on 11 April has caused growing pressure on journalists and HR defenders in Belarus. Pavel Levinau, right, a partner of the Belarusian Human Rights House from Viciebsk, was among those arrested on 19 April and linked to terrorism by the authorities. The Belarusian Association of Journalists is also voicing concern about the new wave of repressions.

Civil and political activists are being interrogated all around Belarus after the deadly blast in the Minsk metro on 11 April. Journalists are getting warnings for “dissemination of unconfirmed information”. Human rights defenders express their concern and call upon the law-enforcement agencies not to inflame suspicion and fear in the society.

Pavel Sapelka, right, a well-known Belarusian lawyer disbarred by the authorities last month, attended a seminar of the programme “International Law in Advocacy” at the Human Rights House in Vilnius on 8-10 April. The defender of political prisoners stated he is not going to give up the human rights activism, and expressed his gratitude towards the international community for support.