Zmitser Dashkevich Week

On July 20^th Zmitser Dashkevich, leader of Young Front and unbending youth activist, turns 26. On November 1^st, 2006 he was sentenced to 18 months of imprisonment for acting on behalf of an unregistered organization. Zmitser is serving the sentence in Shklou prison. International Amnesty recognized the youth activist a prisoner of conscience.

Yesterday a press conference dedicated to Zmitser Dashkevich was held in the office of BPF Party. Heads of Belarusian Helsinki Committee and Human Rights Alliance told the journalists, they had addressed the Red Cross asking to help defend the rights of political prisoner Zmitser Dashkevich.

Today, on July 19^th, the activists are holding an auto race of solidarity, timed to Zmitser Dashkevich’s birthday. Young Front press service reports, the cars depart from Druzhnaya bus station. They will drive through all the cities where activists of Young Front are under criminal persecution. Dozens of activists and well-known politicians, among them Paval Seviarynets, Ina Kulei, and Barys Haretski, will participate in the race. The participants plan to drive through Baranavichy, Niasvizh, Salihorsk, Mahiliou and to finish the race near the walls of Shklou prison.