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Belarusian authorities should immediately and unconditionally free Nasta Loika, a woman human rights defender held behind bars since 28 October 2022 who…

URGENT APPEAL - THE OBSERVATORY New information BLR 005 / 1122 / OBS 081.3 Arbitrary detention / Judicial harassment / Torture and ill-treatment /…

New information BLR 005 / 1122 / OBS 081.3 Arbitrary detention / Judicial harassment / Torture and ill-treatment / Stigmatisation Belarus January (...)

On Monday, a court in Minsk, Belarus, sentenced human rights defender Nasta Lojka to 15 days’ detention on bogus charges of “petty hooliganism”. This is fourth time in three months authorities have locked her up for a 15-day period.

On 25 September, Police banned Minsks New Life Church from meeting for Sunday worship in the car park of the building from which officials forcibly evicted it in February 2021. Police detained the Churchs pastor Vyacheslav Goncharenko and another pastor Antoni Bokun. A judge fined each two months average wage for leading the 18 September service which police had observed. Minsk City Executive Committee refuses to return the seized church building or allow the Church to meet for worship in the ca...

Over the past two years, Belarusian authorities have purged the country of civic organizations, effectively criminalizing human rights work.

Her current whereabouts are unknown.

Today, a Minsk city court sentenced Maria (Marfa) Rabkova and Andrey Chapiuk from leading Belarusian human rights group Viasna to 15 and 6 years’ imprisonment respectively. Eight other Belarusian activists prosecuted in connection with the same case were given sentences from 5 to 17 years’ imprisonment.

Russia wants social media platforms to block human rights group OVD-Info. Here’s why they should fight to keep OVD and other rights groups online.

In 2021, Belarusian authorities redoubled their crackdown on civil society, shutting down hundreds of civic organizations and prosecuting and harassing human rights defenders and their families. This year is starting out no differently.