30 Years of Viasna – 40 Years Since Charnobyl: What a Nuclear Disaster Has to Do with Human Rights

Forty years ago, on 26 April 1986, the Charnobyl disaster began (ukr. Chornobyl / rus. Chernobyl). During a routine safety test, operators simulated a power cut to check the automatic emergency cooling system. A series of technical and human errors, however, triggered an uncontrollable nuclear chain reaction in the reactor core. The resulting explosion destroyed the entire power station and sent highly radioactive material flying into the surrounding area. The fire that followed burned for days, releasing vast quantities of radioactive particles that spread across half of Europe.

Around 70% of the radioactive fallout landed on what is now Belarusian territory, contaminating roughly a quarter of the country and affecting 2.2 million people. The disaster struck at a moment of deep socio-political upheaval in the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic. Secrecy, official cover-ups, and political failures intensified an already profound loss of trust in the socialist regime, a discontent that culminated in a mass demonstration in 1989, known as the “Charnobyl Way” (Charnobylski schlyakh).

The Birth of Viasna

Thirty years ago, on 26 April 1996, the Belarusian Human Rights Centre “Viasna” (Belarusian for “spring”) was founded. The human rights situation in Belarus was dire; Lukashenko had already consolidated power and was relentlessly tightening his grip on the country.

To mark the tenth anniversary of the Charnobyl disaster, the Charnobyl March was revived. As before, the demonstration was not only about Charnobyl. It also served as a protest against Lukashenko’s rule and opposition to the proposed union with Russia. One of the co-organisers was Ales Bialiatski, who witnessed firsthand how security forces violently dispersed the crowd and arrested demonstrators. He later recalled:

For me, this police attack on peaceful demonstrators came as a shock. Since 1988, the police had avoided using brutal force against demonstrators. After seven years of a moratorium on violence, it began again. The psychological barrier that had kept the security forces in check all those years had been broken.

That moment proved to be a turning point. Ales and his fellow activists packed food into bags, brought them to the notorious detention centre on Akreshtshina Street, and handed them to detainees upon their release, a gesture of solidarity and recognition that these people had suffered unjustly. This simple act of humanity laid the foundation for “Viasna”.

Over the years, Viasna grew into one of the most important and enduring human rights organisations in Belarus. From the very beginning, the regime worked to silence it through searches, seizures, arrests, and legal harassment. Yet Ales and his colleagues refused to be intimidated. As he put it:

We did not give up on this and did not say that it is impossible to scoop out this sea of human sorrow with a spoon.

Their dedication has been widely recognised. In 2022, Ales Bialiatski was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize while imprisoned as a political prisoner. In total, he spent over seven years behind bars on politically motivated charges, until his early release in December 2025, after which he was expelled from Belarus. From that experience, he speaks with unique authority on the value of human rights work:

It is at moments like these that one begins to understand the significance and value of human rights work even more clearly. This work takes many forms: from care parcels to letters of solidarity, which may rarely reach their intended recipients but whose impact can be felt on a deeper level. The greater the public scrutiny, the more likely it is to deter the authorities from using repressive methods against political prisoners.

Viasna is not only a long-standing partner but one of our most important ones, bound to us not only through shared goals and work, but through genuine friendship. We warmly congratulate Viasna on its 30th anniversary and wish Ales and all his fellow campaigners strength, courage, and continued resilience. We remain firmly at Viasna’s side and will continue to support political prisoners until they can live freely in Belarus.