09.12.2009 Hrodna: another human rights picket banned

On 9 December the human rights defender Viktar Sazonau applied to Hrodna city executive committee as he didn’t receive an answer to his application for picket within the legal terms.

08.12.2009 Why do authorities fear pickets on anniversary of Universal Declaration of Human Rights?

These days Belarusian human rights defenders have received about ten denials in authorization of the pickets they intended to hold for marking the 61st anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

08.12.2009 Minsk: Anarchists attack ‘Shangri La’ casino

Last weekend a group of Minsk anarchists attacked the VIP-casino in Kirov Street.

07.12.2009 Minsk: trade union picket in Banhalor square banned

Minsk city executive committee turned down the application of the trade union of radio electronic industry (REI) for authorizing a picket in Banhalor Square on 10 December, said the REI activist Mikalai Herasimenka.

07.12.2009 Zhodzina: picket for protection of right to learn in mother-tongue

Zhodzina human rights defenders Aliaksei and Sviatlana Lapitskis applied to the local executive committee for authorization of a picket dated to the 61st anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. However, they have little hope that their action will be permitted.

07.12.2009 Homel: authorities ban human rights picket

Homel human rights defender Leanid Sudalenka and member of the BPF Party Anatol Paplauny have applied to Homel city executive committee for the authorization of the picket dated to the 61st anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

04.12.2009 Biaroza authoritites ban human rights picket

Biaroza district executive committee prohibited the civil activists Tamara Shchapiotkina and Siarhei Rusetski to hold a picket on 13 December.

04.12.2009 Nastassia Mashchava fined for taking photos of performance

The Young Belarus activist Nastassia Mashchava was fined 1 050 000 rubles by the Zavadski district court of Minsk.

03.12.2009 Police spent 2 months ‘looking’ for results of check-up concerning violations of journalists’ rights

The police officers cannot find the results of the check-up of violations of journalists’ rights, held by the main police department of Minsk city executive committee, for two months already.

03.12.2009 Arrests for anti-Lukashenka performances

The young activists Pavel Prakapovich and Yahor Babrou were sentenced to 15 days of arrest, and Andrei Kuzminski to 7 days.

19.11.2009 Brest resident to appeal picket ban

Pavel Kazlou, a 73-year-old resident of Brest, has lodged a complaint with Brest Regional Court against the decision to ban a picket by Brest Leninski Court, the BelaPAN news agency reports. The activist’s aim was to attract public attention to the issue of ‘indifference of local officials while considering people’s applications’, as well as violations of the Law on Public Appeals. In 2008 Mr. Kazlou was deprived of a working license.

18.11.2009 Homel Regional Court recalls fine to local activist

Judge Vasil Biahun of Homel Regional Court has ruled to reverse a 700,000-rouble fine to Valery Rybchanka, local opposition Communist leader, his civil case being sent for reconsideration at Homel Chyhunachny Court. The activist was fined for mere intent to participate in a memorial picket on 19 October. Mr. Rybchanka claims he was not taking part in the demonstration at the moment he was arrested, since he was taking photos of it.

17.11.2009 Unauthorized demonstration in Minsk`s central square passes off without incident

An unauthorized demonstration staged in Minsk`s downtown Kastrychnitskaya Square on Monday evening to demand the release of political prisoners and commemorate the unsolved disappearances of four government opponents passed off without incident.

The demonstration came one day before the European Union`s foreign ministers were to decide whether to reimpose sanctions against Alyaksandr Lukashenka and other Belarusian officials.

At 6 p.m., some 40 opposition activists formed a line in the square along Independence Avenue, displaying images of opposition politicians Yury Zakharanka and Viktar Hanchar, businessman Anatol Krasowski and journalist Dzmitry Zavadski, who mysteriously disappeared in 1999 and 2000. They also displayed images of Artsyom Dubski, Mikalay Awtukhovich and Uladzimir Asipenka, who are believed to be political prisoners.

09.11.2009 Detention for barbed-wire wreath

On 7 November the police detained the car of Yury Karetnikau and ordered him to drive to the Kastrychnitski district police department without offering any explanations.

09.11.2009 Minsk: action in the memory of victims of Stalin’s repressions

On 8 November the Conservative-Christian party BPF held a sanctioned meeting in the memory of the victims of Stalin’s repressions shot in Loshytski ravine. About thirty people gathered near the Culture House of the worsted plant and proceeded to Loshytski ravine, where they laid down flowers to the memorial cross and lit candles.