karach
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Shadow Report on Systemic Gaps in Lithuania’s Security Model and Their Consequences for People, Democratic Institutions and the European Union
Gaps in VSD Activities and Institutional Accountability in the Context of Lithuanian National and European Security Period covered: 2020–2026 Prepared on the basis of open-source intelligence (OSINT) and a comparative analysis of the annual assessments by VSD and AOTD 26 September 2026 Executive Summary Lithuania’s model of public reporting on national security systematically narrows security…
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IFOR Statement Calls for Protection of Belarusian, Russian and Ukrainian Conscientious Objectors
IFOR urges Europe to protect conscientious objectors from Belarus, Russia and Ukraine. The International Fellowship of Reconciliation (IFOR) submitted a written statement on conscientious objection to the 63rd session of the UN Human Rights Council. Issued on 22 September 2026 under agenda item 10, the statement bears the reference A/HRC/63/NGO/67. IFOR is an international peace…
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EU Erasmus+ Project: 12-Member Our House Delegation Heads to Helsinki to Meet Finnish MPs
Young Belarusians will discuss peace, human rights, and refugee challenges in Helsinki. Ten young Our House activists and two former Belarusian political prisoners will spend a week in Helsinki participating in an international project funded by the European Union through the Erasmus+ programme. The project focuses on human rights, peace, democratic participation, and conscientious objection…
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Olga Karach’s Speech at World Peace Award 2026 Published in Swedish Magazine Ställ om!
Swedish magazine publishes Olga Karach’s reflections on peace, war and nonviolence worldwide. Swedish magazine Ställ om!, which focuses on peace and climate justice, has published a speech by Belarusian human rights defender and head of the human rights organisation Our House, Olga Karach, delivered at the World Peace Award 2026 in Stockholm. The speech, entitled…
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Our House Launches Morning Paranoia in Partnership with ElevenLabs
Our House is launching a new multilingual podcast, Morning Paranoia, in partnership with ElevenLabs. Hosted by Olga Karach, the weekly series combines human rights reporting, political analysis, and dark humor to explain the realities of authoritarianism—one Friday morning at a time. Our House is proud to announce the launch of a brand-new podcast series, Morning…
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Closing Equality Gaps: Lessons from Lithuania for Reviving the Horizontal Equal Treatment Directive
Lithuania reveals why stronger EU equality law requires independent implementation and accountability mechanisms. Addressing Structural and Intersectional Discrimination Policy Brief Our House Centre for Human Rights and Relief 1. Executive Summary The Horizontal Equal Treatment Directive represents a critical opportunity to modernise EU equality law and close persistent protection gaps. While existing legislation offers important…
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Our House in Numbers: One Week, 1.23 Million Views, Nearly 25,000 Interactions
One week of digital human rights advocacy reached more than 1.23 million people across major platforms. During the past week, Our House Centre for Human Rights and Relief generated 1,237,883 views across Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok and partner media channels. During the same period, audiences recorded 24,748 interactions through likes, comments, shares and other forms…
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Inputs for OHCHR Conscientious objection to military service in Lithuania
The expansion of conscription in Lithuania undermines the right of Lithuanians to conscientious objection to military service, while Belarusian and Russian conscientious objectors seeking asylum in Lithuania face serious risks with regard to both access to asylum and personal security January 15, 2026 Brief summary In recent years, Lithuania has significantly expanded its compulsory military…
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Vilnius Begins to See the Neris as a River, Not a Military Asset
In recent years, the Neris River has become the subject of an unusual public debate. Alongside efforts to preserve its unique ecosystem, proposals emerged to transform the river into a transport corridor for wartime evacuation. Among the ideas discussed were large-scale river engineering works intended to make the Neris navigable for evacuating the population of…
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Call to Action: Seeking Justice for the Murder of Political Cartoonist Semyon Skrepetsky
Russian political cartoonist and artist Semyon Skrepetsky was shot dead in Poland after years of criticizing war, authoritarianism, and political violence. This appeal calls on European institutions to ensure an independent investigation and to address the broader threats facing artists, journalists, and political exiles across Europe. The killing of Semyon Skrepetsky raises questions that extend…
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The European Parliament Supports Our House’s Campaign for the Release of Aliaksandra Pulinovich
The European Parliament has demanded the immediate release of Aliaksandra Pulinovich and all political prisoners in Belarus. On 18 June 2026, the European Parliament adopted a resolution on the situation of political prisoners in Belarus, paying particular attention to the case of the minor political prisoner Aliaksandra Pulinovich. Members of the European Parliament demanded her…
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Killing of Artist Semyon Skrepetsky in Poland: Rights Defenders Urge UN Scrutiny of Public Exposure of Personal Data
A Belarusian human rights organisation in exile has appealed to UN Special Rapporteurs following the killing of artist and political cartoonist Semyon Skrepetsky in Poland. The appeal asks whether publicly accessible databases containing personal information can endanger artists, journalists, and political exiles. This communication was submitted to several UN Special Rapporteurs in response to the…
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Formal Compliance with the WFD Without Full Achievement of Environmental Objectives (Lithuania)
Lithuania meets EU water policy requirements, yet many rivers still fail ecological standards Country: Lithuania (in the EU context) Problem formulation As an EU Member State, Lithuania formally complies with the requirements of the Water Framework Directive (WFD), including the development of river basin management plans, the implementation of monitoring programmes, and the submission of…
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Swedish Magazine Publishes Our House Statement on Chernobyl and Nuclear Risks
Swedish magazine highlights Our House action marking Chernobyl’s legacy and nuclear risks. The Swedish peace and climate magazine Ställ Om! has published information about the action and public statement of Our House dedicated to the 40th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. The publication reminds readers that on 26 April 1986, the explosion at the…
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Lithuania Deported a Russian Deserter after Six Months of Continuous Detention
A Russian deserter who fled the war in Ukraine and requested asylum in Lithuania spent nearly six months continuously deprived of liberty before being returned to Russia. His subsequent arrest raises serious concerns about the handling of asylum claims and compliance with international protection obligations. The public version of the case is based almost entirely…
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Hydromorphological Changes and Infrastructure Pressure on the Neris River (Lithuania)
Engineering interventions in the Neris River raise concerns over ecosystem degradation and environmental sustainability Country: Lithuania Problem formulation Within the territory of Lithuania, the Neris River is subject to hydromorphological alterations associated with engineering interventions and infrastructure projects. These interventions are intended to modify key characteristics of the river, including depth, flow dynamics, and channel…
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Lithuania: Use of the Neris River as a Logistical and Strategic Military Corridor
Lithuania’s plans to use the Neris River as infrastructure raise environmental and policy concerns Country: Lithuania Problem formulation In Lithuania, the Neris River is considered not only as a natural ecosystem but also as a potential logistical, transport, and, in a broader context, strategic military corridor. This perspective is reflected in projects and public discussions,…
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Four Months Without New START: Our House Rallies Against Nuclear Threats in Vilnius
Belarusians in Vilnius marked four months without the New START treaty. On 7 June, Belarusians in Vilnius gathered at Kudirkos Square for an anti-nuclear action marking four months since the expiration of the New START Treaty, the last remaining agreement limiting the strategic nuclear arsenals of the United States and Russia. The treaty expired on…
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Belarus: UN experts raise alarm over treatment of political prisoners, urge medical intervention
GENEVA – UN human rights experts* today expressed grave concern over the continued detention, alleged ill-treatment and denial of adequate medical care to several individuals imprisoned in Belarus on politically motivated charges, including charges related to “terrorism” and “extremism”. “We are deeply alarmed by persistent reports of prolonged solitary confinement, incommunicado detention, denial of family contact,…
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Pressure from Military Infrastructure and Militarisation on the Water System (Belarus + Lithuania)
Militarisation in the Vilija–Neris basin creates growing risks for transboundary water management and monitoring Countries: Belarus + Lithuania Problem formulation Within the transboundary Vilija–Neris basin, military infrastructure is present on the territories of both Belarus and Lithuania, including training grounds, military zones, and other defence-related facilities. Such areas typically operate under restricted access and special…