Human Rights in Belarus - Freedom of Religion in Belarus, Lgbt Rights in Belarus, Vladlena Funk, Human Trafficking in Belarus (Paperback)

Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles available from Wikipedia or other free sources online. Pages: 25. Chapters: Freedom of religion in Belarus, LGBT rights in Belarus, Vladlena Funk, Human trafficking in Belarus. Excerpt: Since the election of the country's first president, Aleksandr Lukashenko in July 1994, Lukashenko has steadily consolidated his power through authoritarian means. Government restrictions on freedom of speech and the press, peaceful assembly, and religion remain in place. Belarus, "republic in name, although in fact a dictatorship" is viewed as a rogue state by the United States and European democracies, i.e. the one whose conduct is out of line with international norms of behaviour and whose regime is considered to grossly violate human rights. Some of the most notable recent examples were the harassment of the Union of Poles in Belarus which represents ethnic Poles in the region; and abduction, unlawful detainment and torture of a prominent American lawyer Emanuel Zeltser and his assistant and free-lance journalist Vladlena Funk during the US - Belarus hostage crisis in 2008-2009. Religious, political and journalistic activity is tightly controlled. Other alleged human rights violations have included the digging up of a Jewish cemetery in order to build a sports stadium. Concerns have also been raised by the UCSJ, among others, of Lukashenko's alleged use of Neo-Nazi thugs in intimidating opposition supporters during general elections. There have also been accusations of widespread spying on ordinary people and minority groups, in what commentators have called a manner reminiscent of the Soviet Union. The US Department of State repeatedly criticised Lukashenka's totalitarian regime, describing it as "a brutal, authoritarian dictatorship that blatantly ignores human rights and fundamental freedoms." Numerous assessments of the United Nations, United States and European and Euro-Atlantic organisations demons...