The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders calls to stop harassing Revyako

• 20.08.2012, 18:02

Human rights activists linked summoning of Tatiana Revyako in the KGB with the upcoming "parliamentary elections".

The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), has received new information and requests your urgent intervention in the following situation in Belarus.

On August 17, 2012, Ms. Revyaka was summoned to the KGB “as a person knowledgeable about the circumstances relevant to the national security of the Republic of Belarus”.

Ms. Tatsiana Revyaka reported that KGB officers interrogated her about a publication on Viasna website on August 15, 2012 titled “Mahiliou KGB interferes with electoral process”. The officers also showed her a printout from the website charter97.org containing the same reprinted information under the heading “Mogilev KGB terrorises collectors of signatures”.

The Observatory strongly condemns the harassment of Ms. Tatsiana Revyaka, since it seems to merely aim at sanctioning her human rights activities.

The Observatory is particularly concerned that the pressure on her, and more generally on human rights defenders, has intensified in the current pre-electoral context, while HRC Viasna and the Belarusian Helsinki Committee conduct monitoring of the electoral process in the framework of a campaign entitled “Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections”.