14.01.2008 Entrepreneur Siarhei Parsiukevich Sentenced to 15 Days of Jail

Siarhei Parsiukevich was arrested for 15 days for participation on the unauthorized rally of entrepreneurs on 10 January. The activist of the entrepreneurs’ movement Siarhei Parsiukevich from Vitsebsk has had a trial in the court of Tsentralny district of Minsk today, RFE/RL reports.

14.01.2008 Entrepreneur Aliaksandr Makayeu Arrested after Meeting with Police Official

On 12 January Aliaksandr Makayeu, leader of entrepreneurs’ movement, was detained in the center of Minsk just after he left the building of the Minsk city executive committee, where he had a meeting with Aliaksandr Naidzenka, deputy head of Minsk city police department. At the meeting they discussed the conditions in which those who had been detained on 10 January were kept on Akrestin Street.

14.01.2008 Brest: Solidarity of Entrepreneurs

Entrepreneurs from Brest expressed their solidarity with the demands made at the protest demonstration in Minsk and decided on continuing the strike until all people, sentenced to arrest on 10 January, are released.

14.01.2008 Details of Beatings after Entrepreneurs’ Actions

All arrested participants of the protest rally against the economic policy of the government towards small business in Belarus held on January 10 in Minsk have been taken to Akrestsin Street prison.

14.01.2008 Entrepreneur Harbachou Fined after Justification

The court of Barysau region, which earlier acquitted Viktar Harbachou, the leader of the campaign ‘For free development of entrepreneurship’, has reopened the case on petty hooliganism charges. Thus, the court cancelled its decision, BelaPAN was informed by V.Harbachou.

14.01.2008 EU Condemns Arrests of Protesters

The Council of the European Union condemns the crackdown on the entrepreneurs’ demonstration, arrests and using force towards the protesters. Christina Gallach, spokeswoman of the EU High Commissioner for Foreign Policy and Security, said it. ‘We condemn arrests and sentences to the people detained. We regard each of them as politically motivated one,’ the spokeswoman said.

11.01.2008 List of Persons Detained at Meeting of Entrepreneurs in Minsk

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10.01.2008 Viachaslau Siwchyk Sentenced to 10 Days of Jail

At about 7.10 p.m. on 9 January in the center of Minsk the police detained an opposition activist Viachaslau Siwchyk. According to his mother, Halina Siwchyk, he was accused of dirty swearing and guarded to Tsentralny district police department of Minsk. This night he spent in the remand prison in Akrestsin Street.

09.01.2008 Political Repressions in Belarus in 2007

During the last year Belarusian human rights activists carefully collected information about different forms of repressions that were used by the authorities for political persecution of public and political activists. Today the Belarusian version of www.spring96.org presents an important result of their work – the list of the citizens who underwent administrative persecution in 2007. Soon the website will also be updated with information about criminal cases against political opponents and other kinds of persecution.

09.01.2008 Details of Detention and Trial over Viktar Harbachou

According to Viktar Harbachou, leader of the campaign For Free Development of Business, the authorities want to isolate him before the meeting of entrepreneurs on 10 January. He said it in the interview to BelaPAN.

08.01.2008 Viktar Harbachou Acquitted

The leader of entrepreneurs Viktar Harbachou has been released from Barysau district court. ‘He is acquitted for absence of crime in the act’, told the activist of entrepreneurs’ movement Mikhail Vasilieu.

17.12.2007 10 days for leaflets dedicated to market vendors’ protest rally

14.12.2007 Prosecutor’s Office Abstains from Bringing New Criminal Case against Ivan Shyla

Recently the father of the youth activist Ivan Shyla has paid a visit to the prosecutor’s office of Salihorsk. As a result of a check-up it was decided not to bring a criminal case against Ivan. Still, the police can appeal against this decision of the prosecutor’s office.

14.12.2007 Poets Get Imprisoned for Speaking ‘Ruffian’ Language

On 13 December Tsentralny district court of Minsk sentenced the Belarusian poets Siarzhuk Minskevich and Ales Turovich to three days of jail and fined Zmitser Vishniou 175 000 Belarusian rubles (about 81 USD).

14.12.2007 Participants of Another Action of Protest against Putin’s Visits Detained in Niamiha Street

Actions 'For Independent Belarus' continue in Minsk. Another action against Vladimir Putin’s visit to Belarus was organized at 6.20 p.m. on 13 December. Several dozens of activists of the civil campaign 'For Freedom!' with a banner ‘Putin, Go Home!’ came out to the Minsk center in Niamiha Street. The young people unfurled European, national and official Belarusian flags. They chanted ‘Putin, Go Home!’ ‘Independence!’, ‘No unions with Russia!’, ‘It’s not Russia here!’ and tore portraits of Putin into pieces.