President of Human Rights Centre Viasna fined and released, together with two colleagues
Paris-Geneva, March 24, 2010. The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), welcomes the release of Mr. Ales Bialiatski, FIDH Vice-President and President of the Human Rights Centre Viasna, along with two other members of the Human Rights Centre Viasna.
On March 24, 2010, the Leninski District Court in Minsk sentenced Mr. Ales Bialiatski, Mr. Valiantsin Stefanovich and Ms. Iryna Toustsik, two other members of the Human Rights Centre Viasna, to a fine of 17,500 Belarusian rubles (about 4,4 euros) for violating Article 23-34 of the Civil Code (“violation of public event procedures”). The three defenders were then freed.
The three had been arrested on March 23 together with Mr. Siarhei Sys, another member of the Human Rights Centre Viasna, while staging a picket in front of the Presidential Administration Building in Minsk to protest against the recent execution of two individuals. Mr. Siarhei Sys was released in the evening of March 23, but Mr. Bialiatski, Mr. Stefanovich, and Ms. Toustsik remained in detention at the Leninski police department of Minsk for the night.
The Observatory welcomes the release of Mr. Bialiatski, Mr. Stefanovich and Ms. Toustsik, and thanks all the persons and organisations that intervened in their favour.
The Observatory nonetheless calls on the Belarusian authorities to refrain from harassing human rights defenders and hindering their legitimate and peaceful human rights activities, and to conform in all circumstances with the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as well as international and regional human rights instruments ratified by Belarus.
For further information, please contact:
- FIDH: Karine Appy / Gael Grilhot, + 33 1 43 55 14 12
- OMCT: Delphine Reculeau, + 41 22 809 49 39