Today marks the 27th anniversary of the establishment of the Viasna Human Rights Center. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya's Office and its Advisor on Legal Issues Kristina Rikhter congratulated the human rights defenders: “Today, April 26, the Viasna Human Rights Center celebrates its 27th birthday. This is an important moment for us to talk about the brave work of human rights defenders, who are guardian angels for Belarusians fighting for democracy.
On March 26, 1996, Ales Bialiatski, then Head of the Maksim Bahdanovich Museum in Minsk, began to help the repressed. He collected information about those detained at protests and sought help for their families.
27 years later, human rights defenders in Belarus embody the spirit of justice and freedom, often risking their own freedom to ensure the respect and protection of basic human rights. They are the first to come to the aid of those whose door is knocked on by the KGB, DFR, or GUBAZiK. Every day, they gather information about political prisoners – it is thanks to Viasna that we know that there are currently 1,497 of them. Thanks to Viasna, we know what they go through behind prison walls. Thanks to Viasna, the whole world knows about it. Viasna, resisting a despotic regime, is an important part of our society.
Belarusian human rights defenders themselves have become victims of the repression against which they are fighting. 6 employees of the Viasna Human Rights Center are currently in prison for doing their job. These are the founder of Viasna and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ales Bialiatski, Deputy Chairman Valiantsin Stefanovich, lawyer Uladzimir Labkovich, coordinator of the Volunteer Service Marfa Rabkova, head of the Homiel branch Leanid Sudalenka, and volunteer Andrei Chapiuk.
This serves as a reminder that the fight for human rights is never easy. Belarusian “law enforcement” agencies have conducted more than 200 interrogations in the Viasna case and more than 120 searches at its employees’ apartments.
Celebrating the Birthday of the Viasna Human Rights Center, what I want to wish them is not only courage, resilience, and bravery. Most importantly, I wish them that spring (viasna) comes soon, and all those fighting for the rights of Belarusians are released and can breathe the air of freedom. We are doing everything possible to make it happen as soon as possible”.
