Viasna human rights center
Coverage of Viasna human rights center in the Nexus archive.
- Belarus convicts a journalist and sentences him to 3.5 years in prison
A court in Belarus convicted journalist Kiryl Pazniak and sentenced him to 3.5 years in prison on charges of discrediting the country and forming an extremist organization. Pazniak, arrested in September 2025, is seriously ill in prison and designated a political prisoner, with 21 journalists currently detained in Belarus and 863 political prisoners reported by the Viasna human rights center.
- Belarus’ authoritarian leader pardons 28 political prisoners to ease ties with the West
Belarus’ President Alexander Lukashenko pardoned 28 political prisoners on Independence Day, citing humanitarian grounds, as part of efforts to improve relations with the West. Despite this, Belarus still holds 864 political prisoners, including 21 journalists, according to the Viasna human rights center, with the UN and opposition leaders noting ongoing repression and lack of human rights progress.