News on the topic: freedom of peaceful assembly
13.03.2008 Action of Protest against Lawless Actions of Traffic Police
The tide of public discontent caused by actions of traffic policemen and their commanding officers has taken a form of a civil protest Human Shield.
12.03.2008 Faces for Amnesty – Freedom for Prisoners of Conscience In Belarus!
The German branch of the international human rights organization Amnesty International decided to hold an action for release of the political prisoner Aliaksandr Kazulin. Here’s the text of the press-release concerning the action.
12.03.2008 Sum of Absurd Claims to European March Organizers Reaches 10 Million Rubles
Yesterday Savetski district court of Minsk continued the hearings on the suit of the Horremautador state enterprise against the organizers of the European March action which took place on 14 October 2007. The enterprise demands from the defendants Yauhen Afnahel, Zmitser Fedaruk, Viktar Ivashkevich, Anatol Liabedzka, Aliaksandr Milinkevich and Viktar Viachorka 2 135 974 rubles (about 993 US dollars) for additional expenditures on cleaning the streets and removal of litter.
12.03.2008 Police Draw Violation Report against Aliaksandr Makayeu
On 12 March a leader of the entrepreneurs’ movement, supporter of the For Freedom movement Aliaksandr Makayeu was summonsed to Maskouski district police department (DPD) of Minsk. There the police drew on him a violation report for participation in the meeting of entrepreneurs in Baranavichy on 11 February.
12.03.2008 Brest Authorities Allow Picket for Release of Aliaksandr Kazulin
Brest city executive committee satisfied the application for authorization of a picket in support of release of the former candidate to president, chairman of the Belarusian Social Democratic Party Hramada Aliaksandr Kazulin from jail.
10.03.2008 11 March – Continuation of Trial over Organizers of European March Rally
On 11 March, at 10 a.m. the trial over the organizers of the European March rally, held on 14 October 2007, will take place at Savetski district court of Minsk. It will be already the second attempt of the judge Siarhei Barazna to hold a successful trial and read the verdict, as on 25 February the hearings were suspended because of the illness of one of the defendants.
07.03.2008 Babruisk: Artsiom Dubski Detained
As we learned, Artsiom was going to Minsk with photos for an exhibition in Brussels. The detention was performed by the senior lieutenant Malakhau and ensign Radzkou. They confiscated from Dubski copies of the local non-state newspaper Babruiski kuryier. Bear in mind that Artsiom is one of the fourteen accused in the criminal case brought on the fact of ‘mass riot’ during the peaceful action of protest, held by the Belarusian entrepreneurs on 10 January in the center of Minsk.
07.03.2008 You can picket … with the agreement of police, firemen and ambulance
The consideration of the suit of Hrodna office of the United Civil Party against the local authorities lasted for about three months.
07.03.2008 New Accused in Criminal Case on Events of 10 January
20-year-old Anton Koipish is accused in violation of the public order and active participation in the protest rally of entrepreneurs held on 10 January in the center of Minsk. In particular, he is accused of having taken part in stopping the traffic in Nezalezhnastsi Avenue. The maximal punishment under the accusation article is 3 years of jail. He has also been expelled from the fourth year at the mechanic-mathematical faculty of Belarusian State University. He became the 14th person accused in a common criminal case on the fact of ‘mass riot’ during the entrepreneurs’ action.
07.03.2008 Press-conference of Suspects in Criminal Case
On 7 March the opposition activists, suspected and accused on the criminal case on entrepreneurs’ action 10 January, held a press conference in the main office of the United Civil Party. Many riot policemen were watching outside the building where the UCP head-office is situated.
06.03.2008 Mikhail Kryvau: ‘There can be any evidence of my guilt in the fabricated case’
In his interview with the UCP press-service the activist of Young Democrats Mikhail Kryvau said: ‘I consider the criminal accusation for my participation in the meeting on 10 January as a legal boundlessness. Yes, I really participated in this action, but I have never fought with the road police, did not rush under car wheels, did not break anything, did not beat or insult anyone, unlike some riot policemen, who beat and insulted the detained meeting participants in the police busses. I have a clear conscience and can answer for all my actions.
05.03.2008 Miron Hangs Flag in Honor of Yazep Liosik
In the evening of 4 March a white-red-white flag was hanged on the roof of a five-storeyed house in Kasmanautau Street in Vitsebsk.
04.03.2008 Three Accused in Criminal Case on 10 January Protest Action of Entrepreneurs
On 4 March the investigative department of the main board of internal affairs of Minsk city executive committee passed to the participants of the entrepreneurs’ action of 10 January Mikhail Kryvau, Mikhail Pashkevich and Uladzimir Siarheyeu the rulings that they were suspects in a criminal case under article 342, part 1 of the Criminal Code – ‘organization or active participation in group actions that grossly violate the public order.’ All suspects had to give written undertakings not to leave Minsk.
04.03.2008 Imprisonments for Meeting in Salihorsk
A member of Salihorsk branch of the Young Front, 18-year-old Zmitser Banko was sentenced to 3 days of jail. The activist of For Freedom movement Uladizmir Shyla, entrepreneur, father of the Young Front activists Ivan and Illia Shylas, was sentenced to 15 days.
03.03.2008 Salihorsk: Police Detain Meeting Participants
On 2 March about 300 people gathered in the central square of the town of Salihorsk to take part in a meeting for protection of the social guarantees. The action was violently dispersed by the police with participation of the riot squad that came from Minsk.
