01.04.2010 Detentions of activists of Union of Poles in Belarus

Mechyslau Yaskevich, Deputy Chairperson of the Union of Poles in Belarus, and Veranika Sebastyianovich, Chairperson of the Association of Officers of the Polish Army at the UPB, were detained by police not far from Shchychyn.

30.03.2010 Supreme Court turns down claim by Young Belarus

The Supreme Court dismissed the claim lodged by the 'Young Belarus' movement and upheld the decision by the Ministry of Justice, who earlier refused registration to the organization, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reports. The youth movement headed by activist Zmitser Kaspiarovich is officially registered in Lithuania. Lacking Belarusian registration, its members nay be prosecuted under Article 193-1 of the Criminal Code for illegal membership.

25.03.2010 Lyabedzka fined for solidarity with Union of Poles

The leader of the United Civil party fined 30 basic units.

On March 25 the court of Valozhyn districy considered a case against the leader of the United Civil Party Anatol Lyabedzka, who was detained in Valozhyn on February 15 near the building of a military base where the trial over Tereza Sobal was held, BelaPAN informs.

25.03.2010 For Freedom activist refused registration as candidate

Spartyunaya constituency election commission number 49 (the town of Rechytsa) refused to register local ‘For Freedom’ member Andrei Stryzhak a candidate for the Homel Regional Council, after 19 out of 168 signatures collected by his campaign team were found invalid.

25.03.2010 Kalinkavichy authorities blunder

A misprint made in the post address of Ruslan Miatlitski, Kalinkavichy ‘For Freedom’ coordinator, deprived the activist a right to appeal the authorities’ refusal to include him on the local election commission.

25.03.2010 Homel Regional Court turns down claim by For Freedom activist

Homel Regional Court dismissed the claim by Piotr Kuzniatsou, Homel regional coordinator of the ‘For Freedom’ movement, lodged after his campaign team for the collection of signatures was not granted registration by local election commission due to exceeding number of its members.

22.03.2010 Supreme Court rules in favour of Ministry of Justice

The Supreme Court of Belarus dismissed the claim by the ‘Razam’ independent trade union against the Ministry of Justice, which refused the Union state registration, Radio Racyja reports quoting the organization’s chair Iryna Yaskevich. In her verdict, Judge Larysa Filimanikhina claimed that one of the claimants Mikalai Kaniukh had been illegally elected and therefore had no legal authority to sign the claim.

16.03.2010 Polish Embassy in Belarus deprived of its property

The court of Valozhyn district dismissed a motion of the Polish Embassy to Belarus which asked to return its property which was kept in the Polish House in Ivyanets.

BelaPAN was informed about that by the chairman of Ivyanets branch of the unofficial Union of Poles in Belarus Tereza Sobal.

16.03.2010 All is quiet in Belarus, says Committee for Religions and Nationalities

Inter-ethnic relations are taking a normal and conflict-free course, said Mikhail Rybakou, spokesman of the State Committee for Religions and Nationalities, at a press-conference in Minsk.

11.03.2010 Polish House in Ivianets was confiscated from Union of Poles in Belarus

The Polish House in Ivianets will stay the property of the pro-regime Union of Poles in Belarus. The appropriate ruling of the Valozhyn district court has been upheld by the Minsk oblast court.

11.03.2010 Fines for picket near Lithuanian Embassy

On 10 March Maksim Viniarski, Palina Kuryianovich and Palina Dziiakava were detained by police for an unauthorized picket near the Lithuanian Embassy where they unfurled a streamer ‘No to cooperation with Belarusian dictatorship’ in order to protest against the invitation of Aliaksandr Lukashenka to festivities on occasion of the 20th anniversary of Reestablishment of independence of Lithuania.

04.03.2010 Supreme Court upholds registration denial to ‘Zalaty Leu’

The Supreme Court upheld the decision of the Hrodna oblast court concerning the non-registration of the Slonim NGO Zalaty Leu. On 4 March the Civil Cases College Board of the Supreme Court, presided by Judge Valer Samaliu, considered the complaint lodged by the Zalaty Leu founders and found the verdict of the Hrodna oblast court well-grounded and the registration denial – legal.

04.03.2010 Spoiled holiday

The students who had taken part in the festival of the Belarusian language were made to write explanatory notes concerning the event. It was the first year when the festival was organized officially.

03.03.2010 Assembly of pro-Democratic NGOs: third registration attempt failed

According to information of the press-service of the Assembly of pro-Democratic NGOs, the Ministry of Justice for the third time refused to register the Assembly of pro-Democratic NGOs. The reasons for the registration don’t differ from the reasons given during the previous registration attempt.

01.03.2010 The Implementation of Freedom of Association in 2009

In 2009 the situation in the sphere of freedom of association in Belarus failed to undergo significant changes, the main problems in the formation and activities of public associations remaining unaltered. The practice of denying registration to public associations and political parties on dubious grounds including the socio-political stand of the associations’ founders was continued. A ban on the activities of unregistered public associations, foundations, political parties and religious organizations was kept in force resulting in criminal penalties for such activities (Article 193-1 of the Criminal Code, ‘Illegal organization of a public association, religious organization or foundation or participation in their activities’ .