Prominent lawyer steps down as president of human rights association
October 17, Pozirk. Maryja Kolesava-Hudzilina has stepped down as president of the Belarusian Association of Human Rights Lawyers, an association formed in April 2023 by defense attorneys who fled Belarus fearing reprisals.
The move comes days after security forces raided her home in the Minsk region.
On October 8, media reported that Committee for State Security agents and riot police officers raided the Žodzina apartment where she is registered.
In Belarus, Kolesava-Hudzilina defended Eduard Palčys, Jaŭhien Juškievič, Dźmitryj Papoŭ and other high-profile opposition figures. Authorities disbarred her and declared her Instagram page extremist.
Last night, the association said on Telegram that Kolesava-Hudzilina is no longer its president. She later took to Facebook to announce that she had left the association on Friday on her own initiative.
The government has cracked down on lawyers after the 2020 disputed presidential election. Alaksandar Łukašenka said that lawyers must be under government control and act according to the law and “not according to some invented norms – freedom of speech and other freedoms.”
The number of defense attorneys dropped in four years in Belarus from 2,200 to 1,650 in January 2024, the Prava na Abaronu advocacy group reported.
In April, Deputy Justice Minister Mikałaj Staravojtaŭ said that the country’s 1,588 lawyers are providing “professional legal assistance to all those who need it.”
- EconomyBelarus’ economic growth unsustainable – think tankThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsRights groups label four as political prisonersThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsOpposition discusses sanctions against Minsk with Canadian MPsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsMoscow court postpones trial of pundit Suzdaltsev accused of criticizing ŁukašenkaThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsPoland to set up special unit for border protectionThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Security
- SocietyRoman Catholic priest leaves Belarus after jail sentenceThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SecurityBelarus' interior minister seeks to boost police cooperation with TurkeyThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy
- Economy
- PoliticsAt least 170 sentenced for political reasons in September – ViasnaThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SecurityLatvia reports annual record of illegal entries from BelarusThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SecurityDrone incursions reported overnightThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Society
- PoliticsReprisals: KGB harasses legal citizen groupsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SocietyPoland suspects Belarusian trucker of smuggling €3m worth of cigarettesThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy, PoliticsMinsk to "actively" join Xi Jinping's global development initiativesThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsUK introduces new head of mission in BelarusThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SecurityDefense ministry announces Northwestern Operational Command drillThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsExiled opponent's house up for auctionThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SecurityDuda criticizes new migration strategy as a mistakeThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SecurityTusk says asylum suspension not to affect genuinely persecutedThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics
- Politics, SocietyBelarusian government collecting air passengers’ personal dataThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SocietyFreedom House: Belarus internet freedom keeps deterioratingThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy
- Politics
- PoliticsFrontex: East Africans, Syrians pick Belarus to enter Poland illegallyThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Germany news, PoliticsOpposition leader, German FM discuss visa facilitation for BelarusiansThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Security