The purpose of these Principles is to foster responsible corporate culture in the human rights community, which will contribute to raising public trust to and respect for the human rights community, taking into account the social importance of human rights work. The adherence to the Principles is the moral duty of every human rights defender.

The Principles of Human Rights Work apply to relations between human rights defenders and to relations of human rights defenders with victims of human rights violations, public authorities, international organizations, civil society organizations, other professional communities, and the media.

The following participated in the development of the document: Raisa Mikhaylouskaya, Tatsiana Aheyeva, Uladzimir Bukshtynau (Belarusian Documentation Center), Tatsiana Raviaka, Anya Gerasimava, Uladzimir Yavorsky (The Barys Zvozskau Belarusian Human Rights House), Aleh Aheyeu (Belarusian Association of Journalists), Yury Chavusau (Assembly of Non-Governmental Democratic Organizations), Pavel Sapelka (Human Rights Center "Viasna"), Alena Tankachova (Center for Legal Transformation), Dmitriy Charnykh, Hary Pahaniayla (The Belarusian Helsinki Committee).

A team of experts worked on the Principles of Belarusian Human Rights Work for almost a year; focus groups were held in various cities of Belarus, in which about 70 human rights defenders from 20 organizations took part.

The document applies to the Belarusian human rights organizations and human rights defenders in their individual capacity and is open for the accession.

Human rights defenders are those individuals, groups and bodies of the society who, acting peacefully, individually and/or jointly with others, exercise, promote and/or protect human rights and fundamental freedoms at the local, national and/or international levels. They recognize the universality of human rights for all without any distinction.

To join the Principles, email: info@bydc.info.