20.07.2009 Political prisoner Artsyom Dubski went on hungers strike

The “Young Front” activist went on hunger strike against pressure of the administration of the detention facility in Babruisk.

Alena Dubskaya, mother of the political prisoner, told this to Radio Svaboda.

The woman said the lawyer visited her son Artsyom Dubski on July 16 and they made an appeal against the decision of the Asipovichy district court. The administration of the pre-trial detention facility in Babruisk told Dubski on next day to write an application for transferring him in a penal colony to serve the punishment.

20.07.2009 Regional publishers form association

A newly-created Association of Regional Press Publishers ‘United Mass Media’ was officially registered by Brest Regional Executive Committee on 15 July. ‘We can and should unite. Regional publishers have never competed on the national information level,’ said Uladzimir Yanukevich, head of the Intex-Press publishing house and chair of the Association. ‘United Mass Media’ is an association of over 10 independent regional newspapers and was created as an open membership NGO.

20.07.2009 Over 60 activists detained on Solidarity Day

According to RFERL, over 60 persons were arrested on Solidarity Day across the country. The arrests were neither recorded nor reached the court. Artur Finkevich, leader of the Young Belarus movement, was beaten by the police in Kastrychnitskaya square in Minsk. All the detainees were finally released.

20.07.2009 6 oppositionists arrested in Zhodzina

On 17 July Zhodzina police detained 6 United Civil Party activists – Uladzimir Kazak, Aliaksandr Serhiyenka, Siarhei Kluyeu, Aliaksandr Stsepanenka, Raman and Aliaksei Bahdanovichs – as they were distributing newspapers and leaflets at the BelaAZ automobile plant entrance. According to the UCPB leader Anatol Liabedzka, the newspapers covered a series of anti-recessionary policy measures proposed by representatives of the opposition movement of Belarus.