The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

Alyaksandr Lukashenka said the results of the presidential elections 2006 were rigged.

The Belarusian ruler told in an interview published in “Izvestia” newspaper on August 27: “I have information that 93% voted for me at he last elections. Later, when I felt pressure, I admitted that the elections had been forged. I told then: “Yes, they are forged.” I ordered that the results should be about 80%, I don’t remember the exact figure, but not 93%. 90 is difficult for perception. But this is true.”

Members of New Life Church continue the all-day pray in their church protesting against persecution by the authorities.

As Radio Svaboda reports, there are no more court instances where the church members could apply to defend their rights.

“We are considering a question on making a complaint to the Human Rights Committee,” the lawyer of the church Syarhei Lukanin says.

The church members held a general meeting and decided not to organize street actions and not to go on hunger strike protesting against the actions by the authorities.

Vileika District Court has turned down a complaint by a local UCPB activist Uladzimir Maliarchuk against the restrictions of meeting and picket locations. In her verdict, Judge Alena Artsimovich says that ‘decisions concerning locations of mass actions, as well as restricted locations, are within the jurisdiction of local executive and regulatory authorities.’ According to Mr.Maliarchuk, Vileika town authorities have assigned two locations for holding pickets and meetings, both situated on the town outskirts. In his complaint, he said that locations assignment itself ‘is an illegal restriction of citizens’ rights and freedoms.’ The activists demanded to lift any restrictions, since they ‘do not meet Constitutional and international standards.’

The Supreme Court of Belarus has turned down a complaint by the founders of the newly-created Party of Freedom and Progress, supporting the decision by the Ministry of Justice and denying registration to the party. Judge Mikalai Babkou claimed the founders had failed to provide correct data in the application. Uladzimir Navasiad, Party of Freedom and Progress leader, says he and his party-mates are going ‘to keep being engaged in politics.’

A number of Belarusian politicians and public figures have issued an open statement to the President’s Administration, the National Assembly, Minsk City authorities and the Council of Ministers demanding to put an end to the harassment of the New Life Church believers, the BelaPAN news agency reports. The letter was signed by writer Uladzimir Arlou, BPF leader Liavon Barshcheuski, painter Aliaksei Marachkin, For Freedom leader Aliaksandr Milinkevich, Young Front Leader Zmitser Dashkevich and others.

“Young Front” activist from Lida Vadzim Barouski got a summons to appear at a session of the administrative commission in the case of spreading portraits of political prisoner Artsyom Dubski.

As mfront.net reports, activist Vadzim Barouski must go to office 7 in the district executive committee on the address Savetskaya Street 8 at 4:00 p.m. August 26. The summons was signed by commission secretary Y. Yasyukaits. The summons was thrown into a mailbox, but not hand-delivered.

We remind that Vadzim Barouski and Kastus Litsvinski were detained by militia near the railway station in Lida on July 27.

Brest Leninski Court has fined local opposition activist Mikhail Ilyin BYR 140,000 for organizing a picket in downtown Brest on 17 August, convicting him of disorderly conduct. ‘The evidence provided by the policemen who had arrested the picket participants was inaccurate and false. The judge, in his turn, rejected Ilyin’s motion for additional evidence for the defence. Moreover, the judge ignored information concerning the violence used against the picket participants during the arrest,’ says Brest human rights lawyer Raman Kisliak.