News on the topic: freedom of peaceful assembly
04.04.2008 Vitsebsk: new action by legendary Miron
A white-red-white national flag appeared late night in Maskouski Avenue in Vitebsk on 3 April. It was hung out on the chimney of a boiler-house near the secondary school #11. As usual, a message from Miron was affixed to the flag.
03.04.2008 10 Days of Jail for Picketing Russian Embassy
2 April youth activists (mainly representatives of the Jeans – For Freedom movement) attempted to hold a picket near the diplomatic mission of the Russian Federation in Minsk. They brought with them a white-red-white flag and a banner No to Russia – Yes to EU. The action was dedicated to the official Day of consolidation of the Russian and the Belarusian people.
02.04.2008 Marachkin Wants His Paintings Back
1 April Aliaksei Marachkin, painter and public activist, chairman of the international organization World Association of the Belarusians "Batskaushchyna" addressed the Tsentralny district police department of Minsk for getting back the confiscated artworks. On 29 March he was released from jail. Marachkin was arrested for five days on charges in dirty swearing and resisting to the police.
02.04.2008 KGB blackmails students
KGB workers visited some of the persons who were arrested on 25 March 2008 for participation in the peaceful rally dedicated to the 90th anniversary of the Belarusian People’s Republic.
01.04.2008 Two criminal cases against Andrei Kim merged into one
On 1 April, at 2 p.m. the court of Tsentralny district of Minsk started trying the criminal case against the youth activist Andrei Kim. The trial was attended by Liavon Barshcheuski, Ales Bialiatski, Alena Ilyina, Aliaksandr Milinkevich, Mikola Statkevich, Vintsuk Viachorka and representatives of foreign embassies.
01.04.2008 Amnesty International condemns beatings at Freedom Day celebration
The international human rights organization has issued an official note concerning the events of 25 March in Minsk.
01.04.2008 Hrodna: Siarhei Malchyk persecuted again?
31 March the chair of Hrodna oblast organization of the BPF Party Siarhei Malchyk was summonsed to Leninski district police department of Hrodna. Bear in mind, that on 25 March, during the festive actions in honor of the 90th anniversary of the Belarusian People’s Republic, he was approached by the policemen who asked him to come with them to the police department and give explanations. The activist answered that he could go there only after getting official summons.
01.04.2008 Freedom day brings five days of jail to Barys Khamaida
The judge of Chyhunachny district court of Vitsebsk Raman Dehoda sentenced well-known political and human rights activist Barys Khamaida for alleged violation of article 23.34, part 3 of the Administrative Code.
31.03.2008 Criminal case against entrepreneurs’ rally participants sent to court
The criminal case started by the prosecutor’s office against participants of the entrepreneurs’ rally on January 10th, has just been sent to Centralny court of Minsk.
28.03.2008 International human rights organizations condemn the arrests and brutal attacks by riot police of peaceful demonstrators in Minsk
Statement: The Human Rights House Foundation, the Rafto Foundation, Norwegian PEN, the Norwegian Helsinki Committee and The Norwegian Union of Journalist condemn the arrests and brutal attacks by riot police of peaceful demonstrators in Minsk.
27.03.2008 On March 25th Belarusian authorities demonstrated their attitude to human rights
Viasna's statement about the events on March 25th
27.03.2008 Case of journalist Andrei Liankevich sent for revision
Yesterday Zavodski court judge postponed the trial over Nasha Niva journalist Andrei Liankevich to Thursday, 9 a.m. Yesterday the judge demanded the documents proving that Nasha Niva was an officially registered edition. Today, in several minutes after the trial began, judge Alena Laptseva ruled to send the case back for revision.
26.03.2008 Trials on March 26th end
Savetski, Zavadski, Maskouski, and Partyzanski courts of Minsk finished trials over participants of the celebration of peaceful rally detained on March 25th. The courts considered 75 administrative cases, 26 of which ended with arrests. The judges gave from 5 to 15 days of jail to the action participants. Two trials are postponed for March 27th (the cases against journalist Andrei Liankevich and Zmitser Yasevich). Two of the detained – Yaraslau Hryshchenia and Yuras Karetnikau – are receiving medical treatment. In general, about 20 people received injuries.
26.03.2008 Trials over participants of peaceful action in Baranavichy end
Yesterday the police detained a group of 14 civic activists on their way to lay flowers to the Cross of Suffering in Baranavichy. All of them were brought to the local police station. Two teenagers were released. It was expected that the police would releasr two activists with poor health condition – disabled Ales Shcharbakou and Uladzimir Housha. However, the policemen left them in the detention center together with the others. One of them, Ales Shcharbakou, felt really bad. An ambulance came in an hour after the call. As a result the activist was taken to hospital. Loval human rights defender Siarhei Housha told Viasna, the participants of yesterday’s action received the following sentences:
26.03.2008 Trials over detained activists continue (updated)
Minsk courts are busy with trials over the activists detained during the peaceful rally yesterday. The rally was to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the Belarusian Democratic Republic 1. Adamovich (Zavodski court, fined 30 basic units, judge Alena Laptseva) 2. Afnahel, Yauhen (Savetski police department severely beaten, Savetski court, judge Aksana Reliava, 10 days of jail) 3. Akimau, Vital (Savetski police department, Savetski court, 15 days of jail)
