Human rights situation worsened in May, report says

June 2, BPN. The Viasna Human Rights Center has reported that Belarusian authorities continue to arbitrarily detain and torture citizens for exercising their civil rights.

It documented 395 detentions in May, including 243 cases of politically-motivated persecution under the Administrative Offenses Code.

The group said there were 1,496 political prisoners in Belarus at the end of May with 54 identified last month.

Viasna also expressed concern about the death of political prisoner Mikałaj Klimovič in a penal colony, calling it a violation of the right to life.

The report denounced widespread reprisals and the denial of human rights in Belarus.