Charter 97 is a declaration calling for democracy in Belarus and a pro-human rights news site taking its inspiration from the declaration.
The document – the title of which deliberately echoes the Czechoslovak human rights declaration Charter 77 20 years earlier – was created on the anniversary of a referendum held in 1996, and which, in the words of the organisation of the same name, declares:
"devotion to the principles of independence, freedom and democracy, respect to the human rights, solidarity with everybody, who stands for elimination of dictatorial regime and restoration of democracy in Belarus".
Belarusian journalist Pavel Sheremet acted as the group's spokesman at the declaration's public launch.
Charter 97, as a citizens' human rights organisation based around the principles outlined in this document, is a non-partisan organisation which has organised protest rallies and has provided a springboard for other democratic movements in the country.
It also maintains a website of news with a focus on human rights developments. Site is heavily pre-moderated: all comments that contain opinions against site policy are being deleted. The site's editor-in-chief, Natalya Radina, received the 2011 International Press Freedom Award, "an annual recognition of courageous journalism", for her work.
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