Hans Thoolen on Human Rights Defenders and their awards

Among those who represented Belarus there were Valiantsin Stefanovich, the deputy head of the Human Rights Centre “Viasna”; Tatsiana Reviaka, President of the Belarusian Human Rights House; Anna Gerasimova, director of Belarusian Human Rights House; Aleh Hulak, chairperson of theBelarusian Helsinki Committee; Dzmitry Charnykh, the lawyer of BHC; Zhanna Litvina, chairperson of the Belarusian Association of Journalists; Ina Kuley, chairperson ofSalidarnasts (Solidarity), an organisation that provides support to victims of political persecution in Belarus; Liudmila Hraznova, chairperson of the Human Rights Alliance; Alena Krasouskaya-Kaspiarovich, deputy chairperson of a prisoners’ rights organisation Platforma (Platform); Aleh Vouchak, chairperson of Legal Assistance to the Population; Yury Chavusau, the lawyer of the Assembly of NGOs, and Siarhei Ustsinau, Belarusian human rights defender.

Valiantsin Stefanovich as the representative of “Viasna” made a presentation on political prisoners in Belarus, as well as analyzed the situation on the freedom of peaceful assembly in the country.

The decision to renew the mandate of the UN Special Rapporteur on Belarus was adopted on 28 September in Geneva during the 21th session of the UN Human Rights Council. Miklós Haraszti, Hungarian diplomat, was appointed for this position and on 1 November he officially started to work.

Human rights defenders held initial consultations with the UN Special Rapporteur on Belarus – Human Rights House Network.