23.05.2008 Siarhei Abrazouski fined again

22 May the judge of Pukhavichy district court Sviatlana Akulich ruled to fine the civil activist Siarhei Abrazouski 1.4 million rubles for alleged organization of an unauthorized rally against the construction of a chemical plant near Minsk heating station #5.

23.05.2008 Yury Istomin fined for concert of Polish band

Yury Istomin, chairman of Hrodna city branch of the United Civil Party, was fined 1 050 000 rubles (about 493 US dollars) for organization of the concert of the Polish band Transkapela in the UCP office on 13 May.

23.05.2008 Yauhen Afnahel sentenced to 7 days of jail

Activist of the civil campaign European Belarus Yauhen Afnahel was sentenced in is absence to 7 days of arrest by the Pershamaiski district court. The activist has received a copy of the decision of court by post today.

21.05.2008 Artur Finkevich sentenced to 7-day arrest in absence for EU flags at official rally

The court of the Pershamaiski district of Minsk sentenced Artur Finkevich, deputy head of the Young Front organisation, to 7-day administrative arrest in his absence.

21.05.2008 Reports against oppositionists drawn up by ideologues

Youth activists Katsiaryna Salauyova and Ales Krutkin, detained in Vushachy town, have been fined by the local court.

Each of the Young front members must pay 30 basic units of fine (1,050,000 Belarusian rubles), RFE/RL reports.

19.05.2008 Is new criminal case for graffiti prepared?

Artsiom Lastavetski, activist of the Baranavichy office of the Young Front, was detained on 17 May.

16.05.2008 Milinkevich fined in Salihorsk

On May 15th leader of the Movement for Freedom Aliaksandar Milinkevich was tried. Representatives of mass media were not allowed in the courtroom.

Liudmila Hraznova reports, many people, including journalists, gathered near the court building in Salihorsk. However, no one was allowed in the courtroom. The police failed to explain the reasons for such a measure

About 7 p.m. the judge announced the verdict: Aliaksandar Milinkevich, who was detained after the meeting with Salihorsk residents at a local market, was found guilty of violation of Article 23.34 of the Administrative Code and fined 20 basic units.

15.05.2008 Authorities demand actions of protest against chemical plant be stopped

A group of state officials headed by the energy minister Alexander Aziartsou has met with the working collective of heat station #5 in the settlement of Druzhny (Pukhavichy district). Earlier the officials demanded that the people stopped the actions of protest against the construction of a chemical plant, started by the Russian company Avgust-Bel. The activists stay they will sue on this issue.

14.05.2008 Homel: tax inspection harasses Kastus Zhukouski

Today Tsentralny district court of Homel has started the trial on the suit of the district tax inspection for forced exaction of 2 115 000 rubles (about 993 US dollars) of taxes from the local activist of the Belarusian Christian Democracy Party Kastus Zhukouski.

14.05.2008 Vitsebsk: Siarhei Kavalenka fined

The judge of Chyhunachny district court of Vitsebsk Uladzislau Shykarou ruled to fine the activist of the Conservative-Christian Party Belarusian People’s Front Siarhei Kavalenka under part 3 of Article 23.34 of the Administrative Code (violation of the rules for organizing and holding mass actions) for participation in a peaceful mass action on 26 April, dedicated to an anniversary of Chernobyl accident.

14.05.2008 Disabled pensioner ‘congratulated’ on Victory Day

On the eve of 9 May, the Victory Day, the resident of Homel Andrei Hramyka received a peculiar ‘congratulation’. He is disabled since childhood as a result of a wound connected with the consequences of World War II. The court fined him 140 000 rubles (about 68 US dollars) in absentia for alleged insult of the neighbors who were smoking on the stair platform.

14.05.2008 Minsk: court turns down complaint of beaten driver

13 May the judge of Minsk city court Siarhei Khrypach turned down the cassation complaint of the citizen of Russian Sergey Ostrovsky against a verdict of Tsentralny district court of Minsk.

14.05.2008 Mahiliou: court mocks at democratic activists

Leninski district court of Mahiliou has turned down a complaint that had been filed by Alexander Irkho and Alexander Silkou, activists of the unregistered Freedom and Progress Party (FPP).

14.05.2008 Hrodna: another administrative case for concert

An administrative report under article 23.34 (active participation in unauthorized action) has been composed today against the chairman of Hrodna oblast branch of the United Civil Party (UCP) Yury Istomin. The police qualified as an unauthorized action the concert of a well-known Polish band Lombard in Hrodna.

12.05.2008 Anzhalika Borys tried for organizing a concert

A chair of the Union of Poles in Belarus Anzhalika Borys faces an administrative penalty for organizing a concert of the Polish band Lombard in Brest.