About this peaceful solidarity action
We are members of the Network of Human Rights Houses. We are human rights defenders from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Georgia, Norway, Poland, Serbia, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, and more.
This solidarity action, organised on 13 June 2025, is part of our 2025 Network Meeting, and we stand here today in solidarity with our imprisoned colleagues as well as all political prisoners in the regions where we work.
About our colleagues behind bars
Belarus
In connection with the 9 August 2020 presidential election in Belarus, tens of thousands of people took to the streets in peaceful protests and were met with mass repression by the Belarusian authorities. Since then, thousands of people have been imprisoned in Belarus. Among them are our colleagues from the Network of Human Rights Houses: Andrei Aliaksandrau, Ales Bialiatski, Uladzimir Labkovich, Valiantsin Stefanovich and Marfa Rabkova.
Learn more about our imprisoned Belarusian colleagues here, and about all political prisoners in Belarus on Viasna’s website.
Azerbaijan
In late 2023, a wave of arrests of journalists in Azerbaijan signalled a renewed and intensified crackdown in the country. Since then, hundreds of people are reportedly being held as political prisoners according to independent Azerbaijani civil society. Among them are our colleagues Anar Mammadli and Ulviyya Ali.
Learn more about Anar Mammadli here and Ulviyya Ali here.
About the poem read by Taciana Niadbaj
“mama, all my friends are criminals…
smugglers of liberty
traitors to the dictatorship
agents of dignity”
Taciana Niadbaj is a Belarusian writer, poet and human rights defender. Niadbaj started her work in the NGO sector by cooperating with independent media and she is currently the Chair of the Board of the Barys Zvozskau Belarusian Human Rights House and Chair of PEN Belarus.
Full text in English and Belarusian can be read here.
Write a message of solidarity
Time and time again, we hear from current and former political prisoners how important it is for them to hear from the outside world. Sadly, political prisoners tend not to receive mail sent to them. If you would like to write a message to any of our colleagues mentioned here, send us an email, and we will pass the message along to those in touch with them.
