The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

Uladzimir Tseliapun, Mazyr activist of the Human Rights Center “Viasna”, has been awarded the Ukrainian order “Chernobyl Cross: Courage, Honour, Humanity” for his contribution to the removal of the consequences of the 26 April 1986 Chernobyl disaster on the site of the event.

On 28 April, Homel city authorities reversed their earlier decision on authorization of a May Day opposition rally applied for by local activists of the Fair World Belarusian United Left Party.

The criminal cases of Belarusian anarchists Ihar Alinevich, Mikalai Dziadok, Aliaksandr Frantskevich and Maksim Vetkin will be heard by Judge Mrs. Zhanna Khvainitskaya of Minsk Zavodski District Court between 18 and 23 May.

On 28 April, Russian human rights defender representing the International Observation Mission Ivan Kondratenko was detained and later ordered to leave Belarus within 24 hours.

At about 12.25 this afternoon, Zhodzina police broke into a private house, where a seminar on the region’s social development was underway.

On 27 April, Barysau trade union activist Mikalai Pakhabau received a reply from local authorities denying permission for holding a picket on International Labour Solidarity Day – May 1.

On 27 April, Judge Tatsiana Ravinskaya of Minsk Pershamaiski District Court sentenced Zmitser Bandarenka, coordinator of the European Belarus civil campaign, to 2 years of imprisonment in a general security penal colony.