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“There are no elections in the Republic of Belarus,” – independent observers summarised. Aleś Hierasimienka, a young journalist and participant of the Election Observation: Theory and Practice project, shares his impressions about observing the local election in the Republic of Belarus. The project is organised by Belarusian Human Rights House in Vilnius, United Centre of Initiatives for Republic of Belarus (JuBIC), European Humanities University (EHU) and Swedish International Liberal Centre (Silc).

On 14 April members of the Human Rights House Network and several other international human rights organisations sent a letter of concern on the executions of two Belarusian citizens – Andrei Zhuk and Vasil Yuzepchuk. Signatories condemned that the fact of execution as well as deplored Republic of Belarus ignoring its international obligations in human rights. The letter was sent to two highest public officials in the country – president and prime-minister.

On 14 April members of the Human Rights House Network and several other international human rights organisations sent a letter of concern on the executions of two Belarusian citizens – Andrei Zhuk and Vasil Yuzepchuk. The letter signatories condemned that the fact of execution as well as deplored the Republic of Belarus ignoring its international obligations in human rights.

On 14 April a small group of people with banners and posters gathered near the offices of independent newspaper Narodnaja Vola. Amongst them were World War II veterans and activists of the pro-government youth organisation BRSM. They were united near paper’s offices by the war, which, in their opinion, was falsely covered by the publication.

Belarusian HRH hosted a screening of the independent picture “10 tactics for turning information into action” on 26 March. The short documentary showed stories of HR defenders and civic activist who shared their experience in defending individual rights using new media.

Civil Rights Defenders (Kingdom of Sweden), Belarusian Human Rights House (Republic of Lithuania), Human Rights House Foundation (Kingdom of Norway and Swiss Confederation) and the Norwegian Helsinki Committee condemn the detention of the activists of the Human Rights Center ‘Viasna’ Ales Bialiatski, Valiantsin Stefanovich and Iryna Toustsik, as yet
another case in which the right to peaceful assembly and freedom of speech severely restricted by the Belarusian authorities.

Human rights defenders were detained during a street action against the death penalty in Minsk on 23 March. They were apprehended by the presidential security services and later transported to a police precinct. Now they are awaiting a court decision for ‘violating rules of conducting mass gatherings,’ Article 23.34 of the Civil Code. Ales Bialiatski, Iryna Toustsik and Valiantsin Stefanovich will spend a night before a trial incarcerated.

On 17 March Belarusian HRH hosted a documentary screening dedicated to Yana Paliakova, a human rights defender. One year ago she took her own life. Besides showing the tragic story of young woman’s suicide the film author asked a broader question as to who the Belarusian HR defenders were and what kind of problems they encountered working in the Republic of Belarus.

Council of Europe and EU opinions about abolishing the death penalty in the Republic of Belarus will not be determinative in a decision making process. Mikalai Samaseika, a chair of the Parliament working group on the death penalty, stated this on 3 March in Minsk. At the same time changes in the official death penalty rhetoric are apparent.