05.11.2008 Svetlahorsk: opposition activists get fined

Svetlahorsk town court fined 1.4 million rubles (about $650) Sviatlana Mikhalchanka, the leader of Salihorsk district organization of the Party of Communists Belarusian, and Viktar Akhramchuk and Siarhei Shavialenka, activists of the Belarusian Popular Front Party and the United Civil Party.

05.11.2008 No ‘extremism’ in ‘Svaboda’?

On 5 November Hrodna oblast court considered the cassation complaint against the verdict of Iuye district court by which an August issue of the Svaboda newspaper had been declared extremist. The judge Alexander Sitsko ruled to return the case to Iuye district court for review.

05.11.2008 Babruisk: court fines Ales Chyhir twice

On 4 November Babruisk town court sentenced Ales Chyhir to pay 900 000 rubles for repairing the car which he had already damaged during an argument with a taxi driver. However, the judge turned down the driver’s lawsuit for compensation of moral damages.

04.11.2008 Homel: court justifies bans of opposition’s pickets

On 3 November the deputy head of Tsentralny district court of Homel Siarhei Shytsikau upheld the refuse of Homel city executive committee to authorize pickets which the opposition intended to hold within the frame of the electoral campaign. The applications for authorization of pickets were file by the democratic activists Andrei Tolchyn, Piatro Kuzniatsou, Natallia Shchukina and Alexander Protska.

04.11.2008 Court turns down suit of Brest oppositionists

Leninski district court of Brest considered the complaints of Brest opposition activists Zhana Abramava and Vital Symonik. Abramava and Symonik appealed against the ban of their picket by Brest city executive committee. They intended to hold the action on 7 May near the Belarus cinema in Savetskaya Street and dedicate it to the anniversary of disappearance of the ex-minister of interior Yury Zakharanka. Bear in mind that a number of high state officials are suspected in relation to this crime. The official ground for the executive committee’s refusal was that the only authorized place for mass actions in Brest was the Locomotive stadium.

04.11.2008 Baranavichy: ‘Young Front’ activists are beaten on return from Dziady action

Activists of the Young Front Yury Bahdanovich and Siamion Bylinski were brutally beaten up after they returned to Baranavichy from the protest rally Dziady in Minsk.

03.11.2008 Uladzimir Kazeka is fined for keeping newspapers

The administrative commission of Drahichyn district executive committee fined Uladzimir Kazeka, head of Drahichyn branch of the Belarusian Popular Front, 700 000 rubles (about $3328) for keeping copies of the newspaper Tut i Zaraz in his house. About 2 000 newspapers had been found there during a search on 31 October.

03.11.2008 Lida: ‘Young Front’ activist is threatened with distrain of property

Recently an under-age activist of Lida branch of the Young Front Raman Tunkel has been visited by officers of the court. They threatened to his parents to distrain property.

22.10.2008 Independent election observer fined 500 dollars in his absence

Yelsk regional court fined an activist of the United Democratic Party and “parliamentary elections” observer Dzyanis Rabianok for alleged violation of the law on elections. He was fined 1 mln 50 thousand Belarusian roubles. It makes about 500 dollars.

11.10.2008 Military enlistment office wants Pavel Nazdra to pay fine twice

On 9 October the member of the organizing committee of the Belarusian Christian Democracy Party Pavel Nazdra was summonsed to court. It is demanded that he should pay a fine, which he has already paid. He presented to the court a copy of the payment receipt, but the court ignored it.

03.10.2008 State press publishes list of materials considered as extremist

On 2 October 2 a state-run newspaper Zviazda published a list of ‘extremist’ materials.

01.10.2008 Salihorsk: Young Front activists are punished for anti-war picket

The commission on affairs of minors warned Illia Shyla, a 16-year old participant of a picket against the Russian intervention in Georgia, which had been held near the Russian Embassy on 11 August.

25.09.2008 Andrei Tsianiuta arrested for 7 days

Chyhunachny court of Homel considered the administrative charges against youth activist Andrei Tsianiuta and sentenced him to 7 days of arrest and a fine of 700, 000 BYR (about 350 USD). This way the Young Front member was punished for holding an action on the Day of the City.

Tsianiuta unfolded the white-red-white flag during the official ceremony near the Ice Palace.

16.09.2008 M. Ilyin and Ya. Skrabets arrested for 5 days

The guys were writing “Boycott” slogans on Brest streets. The police kept them in custody until lunch and then drew up a report for disorderly conduct. According to the official charges, yauhen and Mikhas were using foul language. The court punished the guys by 5 days of arrest.

15.09.2008 Pukhavichy: court supports Russian company

On 15 September judge of Pukhavichy district court Liliya Rukhlevich rejected the suit of the dwellers of settlement of Druzhny against Pukhavichy district executive committee. By this verdict the citizens are prohibited to familiarize with documents of Pukhavichy district executive committee