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Belarus: Tatsiana Lasitsa released
On 24 September, Viasna volunteer Tatsiana Lasitsa was released in Belarus after serving one year and eight months of a two-and-a-half-year sentence. While we welcome this news, we highlight that Lasitsa not have been in prison in the first place – the case against her was a reprisal for her legitimate human rights work. We repeat our call for the release of her Viasna colleagues and for the release of all political prisoners in Belarus.
Russian human rights defenders and organisations call on UN Human Rights Council to establish a Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Russia
We, the undersigned human rights defenders and organisations from the Russian Federation, urge member States of the UN Human Rights Council to establish a mandate of a Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in the Russian Federation at its 51st session.
HRHF Annual Report 2021
In 2021, Human Rights House Foundation and the network of Human Rights Houses worked in partnership to meet human rights challenges across Europe from the Thames to the Caspian. Find out how we did this and continued our work together to advance human rights at home and abroad.
International Civil Society Organisations call for an effective and enabling EU Visa framework for At-Risk Human Rights Defenders
In a joint statement published on 7 September 2022 at the initiative of ProtectDefenders.eu, 50 international civil society organisations including Human Rights House Foundation are calling on all European Union institutions and the EU Member States to return on their political mandate in favor of human rights and human rights defenders, and lead on the implementation of concrete initiatives, good practices, and policy changes to ensure that at-risk human rights defenders can access European Union visas with guarantees, security, and predictability.
Belarus: Upcoming verdict in the case against Viasna members Maria Rabkova and Andrei Chapiuk
On September 6, Minsk City Court will pronounce the verdict in the politically motivated and harrowing case of human rights defenders Maria (Marfa) Rabkova and Andrey Chapiuk, in a climate of sweeping repression of civil society in Belarus. The signatory organisations call for their immediate and unconditional release, as well as for the release of all other human rights defenders arbitrarily detained in the country.
Defending human rights together for three decades: the very first Human Rights House celebrates its 30th anniversary
On 1st September 2022, the very first Human Rights House – Human Rights House Oslo – was finally able to celebrate its 30th anniversary following a delay due to the pandemic and a change of premises.
Letters from Lukashenka’s Prisoners: Ivan Datsyshyn
Ivan Datsyshyn, known to his family and friends as Vanya, is a 21-year-old student of radiophysics and computer technology at the Belarusian State University. On the night of 11 August 2020, two days after the highly disputed presidential election, Ivan witnessed the detentions of protesters on Dzerzhinsky Avenue in Minsk. In an effort to force the authorities to leave and not detain people, he allegedly threw a stone at the police bus.
Letters from Lukashenka’s Prisoners: Siarhei Sakavets
Siarhei Sakavets is a 29-year-old engineer from Minsk, who was detained on 21 September 2021 for having subscribed to the Telegram channel “Real Belarus”, which shares news that is critical of the regime.
HRC50 summary: Pushing for action on crisis in Eastern Europe and advocating for stronger international human rights standards
At the 50th Session of the UN Human Rights Council, Human Rights House Foundation continued its work calling on the Human Rights Council to take action on the human rights crisis in Eastern Europe characterised, in part, by the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation, and the increasingly dire human rights situation in Belarus.