⚡️The President of Lithuania met with Ales Bialiatski Today Gitanas Nauseda met with Viasna chairman, and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ales Bialiatski. “Your resilience, moral strength, and unwavering commitment to human dignity — even in the darkest of times — inspire us all,” the President said.

✊ Viasna lawyer Uladzimir Labkovich took part in a press conference. He is currently in Ukraine. Belarusian security forces confiscated his passport, as well as the passports of other released prisoners.

📸 Ales Bialiatski next to a mural created in his honor in Vilnius in 2022 with the support of the Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Photo: Nasha Niva

💔 Unfortunately, Valiantsin Stefanovic, Viasna's board member and former Vice President of FIDH, remains imprisoned in #Belarus He was on the list for release but was not freed. “My colleague, Valiantsin Stefanovic, remains behind bars despite the fact that I was released,” said Ales Bialiatski.

📸 Ales Bialiatski during a meeting with journalists and Belarusians in #Vilnius #FreeThemAll

💔Unfortunately, the release of Valiantsin Stefanovic has not been confirmed. He was on the list for release, but it is not yet clear whether he has been freed. The information is being verified.

⚡️ Uladzimir Labkovich is free! ⚡️ He spent over 4 years in prison in #Belarus. A coordinator of the Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections campaign, he was convicted for his peaceful #humanrights work.

❗️123 people, including political prisoners, were pardoned in Belarus on December 13. Almost of them were forcibly deported to the territory of #Ukraine. spring96.org/en/news/119263

⚡️Valiantsin Stefanovic is free! ⚡️ The former vice-president of FIDH - International Federation for Human Rights spent over 4 years in prison for his peaceful work. In detention, he faced pressure and was recently transferred to a harsher prison regime in Mahilioŭ.

⚡️ Ales Bialiatski is free! ⚡️ The #NobelPeacePrize laureate and founder of Viasna spent over 4 years behind bars for his peaceful human rights work. Belarusian authorities had already imprisoned him once before — he then served almost 3 years. #FreeViasna #FreeAles #FreeThemAll

#NoExcuse: Lack of access to hygiene products in detention is violence too Many women report to human rights defenders a shortage of hygiene products, bans on parcels, or the inability to purchase necessities in the prison store.

#NoExcuse: A trial for words is violence too In Belarus, at least 530 women have faced criminal prosecution for expressing opinions about Lukashenka, officials, or security forces. Sixty-eight of them remain behind bars today.

✊ Support the fight for democracy and human rights in #Belarus On this Giving Tuesday, donate to support Viasna, Belarus's leading human rights organization, led by the imprisoned #NobelPeacePrize laureate Ales Bialiatski. 👉 donate.spring96.org/en/

❗️A ban on correspondence is violence too In #Belarus, women political prisoners are arbitrarily denied letters, parcels, and visits with their families — including their children. They are deprived of their last connection with the outside world.

❗ Criminal prosecution for professional activity is violence too In #Belarus, not only those who joined peaceful protests or voiced their opinions are targeted — but also those who help others. Women human rights defenders, lawyers, and journalists have themselves become targets of repression.

✊ Today is the International Day of Women Human Rights Defenders In Belarus, two women human rights defenders — Marfa Rabkova and Nasta Loika — remain behind bars for their peaceful work. Their imprisonment is a stark reminder of the risks women defenders face. #FreeMarfa #FreeNasta

❗️Among the Ukrainians pardoned last Saturday is 35-year-old Aliaksandr Katovich He had been sentenced to 5 years in prison for comments on social media, including remarks directed at Russians, Russian military personnel, and Lukashenka. 👉https://spring96.org/en/news/119144 #FreeThemAll

#NoExcuse: Denying medical care in prison is violence too During imprisonment, women’s physical and mental health deteriorates sharply due to the lack of adequate nutrition, unbearable detention conditions, and the denial of proper medical care. #16Days #ACTtoEndViolence

🎥The short documentary This Is My Dad tells the story of the Belarusian family of political prisoners Siarhei Yarashevich and Antanina Kanavalava. Both were sentenced to years in prison; Antanina was released in 2024 and fled Belarus, while Siarhei remains behind bars. 👉 youtu.be/aeKnhAYcF1A

#NoExcuse: Pressure and persecution for participating in peaceful protests is violence too After the falsified 2020 presidential election in #Belarus, mass protests took place across the country, with women and girls playing a visible and active role. Women’s marches were held every Saturday.

❗ #NoExcuse: Criminal prosecution for a position is violence Violence against women is not only what happens at home, at work, or online. Violence is also what happens inside prison cells. Over the past five years, nearly 2,000 women have faced politically motivated criminal prosecution.

🧡16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence: #NoExcuse for online abuse Today is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. It also marks the start of the global “16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence” campaign. This year’s key theme is online violence.

❗ Political prisoner Lidziya Hruk, a 30-year-old mother of four, was also released She had been sentenced to four years in a penal colony for "agent activity." Her husband, Yauhen Hruk was sentenced to 24 years in a penal colony. He remains in custody. 🔗 spring96.org/en/news/119144

💬 What do political prisoners think when they are suddenly taken from Belarusian prisons? Last Saturday, 18-year-old Ukrainian Maryia Misiuk was pardoned after nearly two years in captivity. Maryia had been sentenced to 13 years on charges of preparing a terrorist act in #Belarus. #FreeThemAll

🎥 Footage has emerged of 31 Ukrainians who were released today They were taken to the border and handed over to the Ukrainian side. #FreeThemAll

❗ Among the Ukrainians released today is 18-year-old political prisoner Maryia Misiuk Maryia moved to Belarus from Ukraine in 2022. At the age of 16, she was detained and accused of creating an “anarchist cell to prepare terrorist attacks” in #Belarus. She was sentenced to 13 years in prison.

⚡ Belarus: Lukashenka has pardoned 31 Ukrainian citizens It is claimed that this happened at Donald Trump request. These individuals are now being transferred to Ukraine — it is not yet known whether any #politicalprisoners are among them.

❗ UN experts urge Belarus to stop interfering in the legal profession In a joint statement, UN experts condemned the designation of the Belarusian Association of Human Rights Lawyers as an “extremist formation” and called on #Belarus to end repression against independent lawyers.

⚡️Lukashenka has pardoned two Catholic priests who were accused of “serious crimes against the state” The political prisoners are Henrykh Akalatovich and Andrzej Yukhnevich. The pardons followed the October 2025 visit to Belarus by Cardinal Claudio Gugerotti, the high representative of Pope Leo XIV.

⚡ "We write to encourage your continued efforts to free political prisoners wrongfully held in Belarus" Peter Welch, John Curtis, Steve Cohen and Joe Wilson have sent a letter to Marco A. Rubio calling the inclusion of clear mechanisms to verify the authenticity of political prisoner releases.

💔 Marfa Rabkova, coordinator of Viasna volunteer service, has been behind bars for 5 years and 2 months Those who have dedicated themselves to helping others during tough times should never face sentences of nearly 15 years. They must be free to support their communities and rebuild their lives.

💔 #FreeViasna: Ales Bialiatski, Valiantsin Stefanovic, and Uladzimir Labkovich have been imprisoned for 4 years and 4 months These prominent human rights defenders continue to serve long, politically motivated sentences simply for their work with Viasna. 🔗 freeviasna.org

The 42nd #FIDHCongress has adopted a resolution harshly condemning Russia's ongoing aggression against Ukraine, mass violations of human rights in #Belarus and Russia, as well as the deterioration of the situation with democracy and civil liberties in the region of Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

🕯 In memory of Raman Bandarenka Five years ago, in November 2020, Raman Bandarenka — a young Belarusian artist and volunteer — was beaten to death by plainclothes security officers. His only “crime” was standing up to defend the white-red-white ribbons in his neighborhood courtyard.

@iapbelarus.org latest Progress Report looks at the human rights situation in Belarus from 1 April – 30 September 2025 and what the Platform is doing to advance justice and accountability. Read report here: iapbelarus.org/app/uploads/...

. @fidh-official.bsky.social Resolution on the Peace, Security and #HumanRights Crisis in the Eastern Europe and Central Asia #EECA Region in Light of the Severe Breaches of the Helsinki Principles with @freeviasna.org @nhcno.bsky.social adcmemorial.org/en/news/brea...

💔 Today marks the 5th birthday that journalist Maryna Zolatava spends behind bars The former editor-in-chief of TUT BY, Belarus’s largest independent media outlet, was sentenced to 12 years in prison for her journalism. 🔗Her story: prisoners.spring96.org/en/person/ma...

🤔 Belarus presented its report to the UN as part of the 4th Universal Periodic Review Representatives from 101 countries took part in the debate. Much attention was given to the abolition of the death penalty, ongoing repression and torture, and #Belarus involvement in Russia’s war against Ukraine.

❗ At least 16 people from Belarusian regions sentenced in the "neighborhood community chats" case Viasna reports that at least 9️⃣ people from Vaukavysk and 7️⃣ from Smarhon have already been sentenced to imprisonment and heavy fines. #FreeThemAll

✊ The world’s political prisoners must not be forgotten—and their freedom must remain a global cause! Viasna joined the statement on the occasion of International Political Prisoners Day. 🔗 Full statement spring96.org/en/news/118969

✊ At its Congress in Colombia, @fidh-official.bsky.social expressed solidarity with Viasna’s imprisoned activists, jailed for defending freedom and justice in #Belarus. Freedom for all #politicalprisoners! #FreeViasna #FreeAles #FreeThemAll 📷 Photo by Nelson Cardenas

Ales Bialiatski is both a Nobel peace laureate and a political prisoner. The prize to him, in 2022, did not improve his conditions at all. In fact, they are worse. I have spoken to Bialiatski's wife, Natallia Pinchuk, who is in exile. A great man, Bialiatski. Truly.

✊ “Goodness will prevail!” What is known about political prisoner from Tsikhanouskaya's team, Uladzimir Kniha Uladzimir Kniha has been behind bars for more than five years — two of which he has spent in complete #incommunicado detention. 🔗 spring96.org/en/news/118944

🗣 “The EU and its member states should continue investigating #humanrights abuses and crimes against humanity in #Belarus, and support measures to hold perpetrators accountable, including through international courts.” 🔗 www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/pres...

Imprisoned journalists Andrzej Poczobut from Belarus and Mzia Amaglobeli from Georgia have been awarded the European Parliament's 2025 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought.

💔 Five years and one month That’s how long human rights defender Marfa Rabkova has been imprisoned in Belarus. Her “crime”? Coordinating volunteers, documenting torture, and standing up for truth. For that, Marfa received almost 15 years in prison. #FreeMarfa #FreeViasna

❗At the OSCE conference in Warsaw, Natallia Satsunkevich from Viasna highlighted about the situation of human rights defenders in Belarus and in exile. #FreeViasna #FreeThemAll #politicalprisoners

🤔How many names don’t we know? In just a month and a half, 116 people have been recognized as political prisoners in #Belarus. And that’s far from everyone being persecuted for their civic stance. Every number is a person—with their own story, family, demoralising experience, and resistance.

💔 Today marks 4 years and 3 months since the arrest of Viasna human rights activists On 14 July 2021, #NobelPeacePrize laureate Ales Bialiatski, FIDH Vice-President Valiantsin Stefanovic, and lawyer Uladzimir Labkovich were detained and later sentenced to lengthy prison terms. freeviasna.org/en