01.06.2009 Ministry of Justice denied registration to ‘Nasha Viasna’ for incomprehensible reasons

On 28 May the co-founders of the civil human rights association Nasha Viasna received the decision of the Ministry of Justice On denial of the state registration to the civil association. The human rights defenders consider the reasons for the registration denial as unlawful.

28.05.2009 Ministry of Justice denies registration to Nasha Viasna again

On 28 May the co-founders of the Nasha Viasna human rights association received a letter from the Ministry of Justice saying the NGO is once again denied registration. The human rights activists think the decision groundless and illegal. The official letter signed by Vice-Minister of Justice A.Bodak named the following facts as the grounds for the refusal: - ‘many of the co-founders of the association have been prosecuted by law, for offences connected with disturbing public order, as well the freedoms and rights of other persons.’ - ‘the list of the co-founders of the association features certain false or distorted data.’ - ‘the second part of the association’s name ‘Nasha Viasna’ does not correspond to the Charter of the organization.’ The Ministry of Justice also accuses Nasha Viasna of ‘obstructing’ the registration body’s inspection of the accuracy of the application documents.

26.05.2009 Nasha Viasna still awaiting reply from Ministry of Justice

May 25th was the deadline for the Ministry of Justice to reply to the application of the Nasha Viasna human rights organization. However, Nasha Viasna’s registration is still undecided. This is Nasha Viasna’s third attempt to obtain the official status. The human rights have repeatedly stressed this would be their last application, even in case it is not satisfied.

22.05.2009 Court turns down claim by BPF Hrodna office

Hrodna Regional Court has considered the complaint against the decision by the Ministry of Justice to deny registration to the Belarusian Popular Front’s Hrodna Regional Office. The interests of the party were represented by the BPF’s central office senior secretary Uladzimer Labkovich and member of the party’s Soim Yury Chavusau. The trial was bore a strong resemblance to the one held a few hours before, when similar complaint by the BPF ‘Adradzhennie’ was considered.

18.05.2009 Youth activists stopped hunger strike

Participants of hunger strike of solidarity with Mikalai Autukhovich, Yury Lyavonau, and Uladzimir Asipenka stopped the strike.

This decision was reached on May 15, after Belarusian politicians – one of the leaders of the unregistered Belarusian Christian Democracy party Paval Sevyarynets, head of the BPF partyLyavon Barshcheuski, leader of the “For Freedom” movement Alyaksandr Milinkevich, as well as Mikalai Statkevich, and Vyachaslau Siuchyk – addressed them.

15.05.2009 Police disbanded rally ‘For Independence!’

On 14 May a rally of the opposition timed to the anniversary of referendum on changing state symbols and introduction of two state languages was disbanded in Minsk. Dozens of riot policemen with truncheons clashed with people under white-red-white flags.

14.05.2009 Uladzimir Labkovich: We can forecast that ‘Nasha Viasna’ won’t be registered again

Members of the civil human rights association Nasha Viasna, the documents for the state registration of which have been once again passed to the Ministry of Justice, inform that officers of the Ministry of Justice calls to their jobs and ask various questions concerning the life and activities of the people who became the founders of the NGO.

12.05.2009 Belarusian Christian Democracy Party gets no registration

Co-chairmen of the Belarusian Christian Democracy party call the decision of the authorities illegal and ungrounded. According to them, the Justice Ministry has simply executed a political order.

12.05.2009 ‘Young Social Democrats’ denied registration

The Ministry of Justice of Belarus refused to register the pubic association Young Social Democrats – Young Hramada.

09.05.2009 Police beat up participants of 7 May action

Participants of the rally on 7 May were beaten even for a denial to be fingerprinted, though formally this procedure is voluntary.

07.05.2009 Action in the memory of Yury Zakharanka ends with mass detentions

On 7 May at 6 p.m. several hundred people came to an action of commemoration of the ex-minister of interior Yury Zakharanka who has been missing for ten years already. The people were holding the photos of Zakharanka and the photos of the political prisoners Mikalai Autukhovich, Uladzimir Asipenka and Yury Liavonau.

07.05.2009 Homel: police warn ‘For Freedom’ coordinator Uladzimir Katsora

On 6 May the police reminded Uladzimir Katsora about administrative responsibility for violation of the law On mass actions that could take place during commemoration of Yury Zakharanka on the tenth anniversary of disappearance.

07.05.2009 6th day of action of solidarity: Mikalai Autukhovich hungers for 20 days already

On 6 May the action of solidarity with political prisoner Mikalai Autukhovich, who has gone on indefinite hunger strike, was held in Kastrychnitskaya Square of Minsk in presence of riot policemen and law enforcement officers in mufti.

06.05.2009 Ministry of Justice is considering an anonymous letter related to Belarusian Christian Democracy Party

On 6 May a co-chairman of the Belarusian Christian Democracy Party Pavel Seviarynets and the responsible secretary of the party Dzianis Sadouski had a meeting with the justice minister Viktar Halavanau concerning registration of the party.

06.05.2009 Action of solidarity with political prisoners: day five

Before the rally of solidarity that was to start in Kastrychnitskaya Square of Minsk on 5 May in the evening, several street cleaning machines arrived to the scene. For some time people couldn’t stay on the square, as they risked to be showered by water.