The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill Tuesday tightening sanctions against Belarusian officials for their bloody year-long crackdown on anti-government protesters. The bill expands the list of Belarusian officials subject to a visa ban and financial penalties. It demands freedom for all political prisoners. It also calls on the International Ice Hockey Federation to […]
US House Expands Sanctions Against Belarus
Police Break Up Vigil for Political Prisoners in Belarus
Belarusian police broke up a vigil in central Minsk Monday — the first anniversary of a bloody crackdown on the opposition after President Alexander Lukashenko’s re-election. Witnesses say police arrested about 30 demonstrators, including an elderly woman who shouted at authorities that they will “burn in hell.” Some of the protesters carried pictures of people […]
Clinton Calls for ‘Unconditional Release’ of Political Prisoners in Belarus
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has demanded the unconditional release of all political prisoners in Belarus and denounced Minsk for persecuting democracy campaigners. Speaking before the Belarus Civil Society Roundtable in Lithuania Tuesday, Clinton told a group of seven Belarusian activists that the United States will continue working to obtain freedom for about 50 […]
European Council Urges Belarus to Abolish Death Penalty
The Council of Europe has urged Belarus not to execute two men found guilty of carrying out a subway terrorist attack in Minsk. Secretary General Thornbjorn Jagland called on Minsk on Wednesday to discard the death penalty for Dmitry Konovalov and Vladislav Kovalyov and put a general moratorium on executions. He noted that Belarus is […]
Belarus Sentences Minsk Metro Bombers to Death
The Belarus Supreme Court has sentenced two men to death for their part in a deadly bombing of the Minsk metro station in April that killed 15 people and injured more than 200 others. The judge said Wednesday that Dmitry Konovalov and Vladislav Kovalyov present an extreme danger to society and thus require the ultimate […]
Belarus Sentences Minsk Metro Bombers to Death
The Belarus Supreme Court has sentenced two men to death for their part in a deadly bombing of the Minsk metro station in April that killed 15 people and injured more than 200 others. The judge said Wednesday that Dmitry Konovalov and Vladislav Kovalyov present an extreme danger to society and thus require the ultimate […]
UN Blasts Belarus Over Torture, Abuse
The United Nations has slammed Belarus over its record of torture and abuse of detainees by members of its security forces. The U.N. Committee Against Torture said Friday said it was concerned over numerous and consistent allegations of abuse, and Belarus’ failure to investigate the claims. The committee also expressed worry over the secrecy of […]
Belarus Human Rights Activist Sentenced for Tax Evasion
A court in Belarus on Thursday sentenced a prominent human rights activist to four and a half years in jail for tax evasion. Ales Belyatsky heads a group called Vesna, which provides legal and financial help to opposition activists arrested following protests after the disputed 2010 presidential election. Belyatsky says his arrest is politically motivated […]
OSCE Condemns Belarus’ Freedom of Assembly Restrictions
The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe has condemned new measures in Belarus restricting the right to assemble. The measures were adopted by Belarus’ lower house of Parliament in early October, but just adopted Friday by the upper parliamentary chamber. OSCE Chairperson Audronius Azubalis, who is Lithuania’s foreign minister, called Monday on Belarus President […]
Five Killed in Belarus Helicopter Crash
A Belarusian border guard helicopter has crashed, killing all five people on board. Officials say the European-made helicopter crashed Thursday afternoon near the border with Lithuania and burst into flames. Three of the people on board were journalists filming a report. The cause of the crash was not immediately known.