News for 5 May 2008

05.05.2008 Artist Ales Pushkin gets fined for congratulations on 90th anniversary of Belarusian People’s Republic

3 May the judge of Krupki district court Andrei Siz fined the well-known Belarusian artist Ales Pushkin 875 000 rubles (about 411 US dollars) for congratulating the local citizens on the 90th anniversary of the Belarusian People’s Republic. Pushkin was found guilty of insubordinations to the lawful demands of the police (Article 23.4 of the Administrative Code) and violation of the order of organizing or holding mass actions (Article 23.34).

05.05.2008 Raman Kisliak appeals to the Supreme Court against unlawful detention

27 September 2007 Maskouski district court of Brest found the human rights activist Raman Kisliak guilty under Article 23.34, part 1 of the Administrative Code (participation in unauthorized action) and fined him 62 000 rubles (29 US dollars).

05.05.2008 Police prohibit handing out non-state press

3 May is celebrated as the Universal Day of Press. At 12 a.m. representatives of the United Democratic Forces (including members of the Belarusian Popular Front party, the United Civil Party, the Party of Communists Belarusian, etc.) gathered near the Main Post Office in Minsk to mark this day by handing out to passers-by the officially registered non-state newspapers: Narodnaya Volia, Nasha Niva and Tovarishch. Bear in mind, that the state retail and subscription monopolist on press Belsayuzdruk, neither sells these newspapers, nor provides subscription to them, all because of their ‘oppositional’ content.

05.05.2008 Political prisoner Parsiukevich transferred to pre-trial prison in Zhodzina

According to the lawyer Vera Stramkouskaya, 2 May the entrepreneur Siarhei Parsiukevich was transferred to the investigative isolator in Zhodzina (Smaliavichy district).

05.05.2008 Maryia Tulzhankova taken to court right from state exam

25 March 2008 the 80th anniversary of Belarusian People’s Republic (so much disliked by the Belarusian authorities) was celebrated. Among other actions a historical excursion has been organized. Even this peaceful action was violently stopped by all-knowing police. Its participants were detained. Five of them served 7-15 days in jail.

05.05.2008 Vitsebsk: politically motivated warnings to minors

The commission on the cases of minors of Pershamaiski district executive committee of Vitsebsk has issued warnings to the 17-year-old pupils of school #38, Krystsina and Viktoryia Chyzh, after the sisters were detained on 16 April, at an action of solidarity with political prisoners.

05.05.2008 Police to bring no case on defilement of BPF office door

The office of the Belarusian Popular Front party (BPF) received an answer from the police to the complaint ‘on the facts on window damage and drawing inscriptions on office’s door’.

05.05.2008 Baranavichy: Young Front activists get fined

Yaraslau Hryshchenia, leader of the Baranavichy Young Front branch, activist Artsiom Lastavetski and Ales Pershak, detained ahead of 1 May, had administrative trials in Baranavichy on 2 May.
слухаць Радыё рацыя Міжнародная федэрацыя правоў чалавека Беларуская Інтэрнэт-Бібліятэка КАМУНІКАТ Грамадзкі вэб-архіў ВЫТОКІ Восточный корреспондент Свободу Алесю Беляцкому ! Межрегиональная правозащитная группа - Воронеж/Черноземье
Московская Хельсинкская группа
Молодежное Правозащитное Движение
amnesty international