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The draft Strategy of Belarusian Human Rights Movement was adopted by the 2nd Belarusian human rights forum in September 2010. The draft was elaborated by the Expert group which consisted of the experts from the leading Belarusian human rights NGOs, such as Belarusian Association of Journalists, Belarusian Helsinki Committee, human rights center “Viasna”, Center for Legal Transformation, Assembly of Pro-Democratic NGOs of Belarus.

The leading Belarusian opposition politician and former presidential candidate Andrei Sannikov has been sentenced to five years hard labour for his protest against the falsified elections of December 2010. Sannikov, the leader of European Belarus, was detained after protests against the disputed re-election of Alexander Lukashenko on 19 December last year. The trial of Sannikov’s wife Irina Khalip, a journalist with Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta, began last week.

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.