BLR :: OBS :: Testimony of Ales Bialiatski, Chairman of the Human Rights Center “Viasna” in Belarus, about the human rights situation and the unprecedented level of repression on civil society since December 19, 2010

My name is Ales Bialiatski, Chairman of the Human Rights Center “Viasna” in Belarus. I am very concerned about the human rights situation and the unprecedented level of repression by the Belarusian authorities on civil society since December 19, 2010, the day of the presidential election. Representatives of civil society and activists and civic organisations have been subjected to exceptionally severe harassment. Human rights defenders have also been harassed, in particular my organisation, the Human Rights Center Viasna. Our central office has been searched three times. Searches have taken place five times at our regional offices. Computer equipment and storage media have been seized and Viasna representatives have been called in for questioning. I [...] request the government of Belarus to uphold the international pledges it has signed ; and I call upon the international community to put pressure on Belarus to uphold both the Constitution [...] and its international commitments.