The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for 14 Jan 2008

14.01.2008 Detained Demonstrators Tortured by Cold and Hunger

On 12 January human rights and youth organizations managed to bring food parcels to most of the convicted participants of the protest rally which was held on 10 January in Minsk. At 10 a.m. relatives and friends of arrested formed a queue near the entrance of the prison.

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 Political Prisoner Finkevich Put to Ward with Convicts

Friends of Artur Finkevich have learnt from his letters that the political prisoner has been transferred to another ward, a ward for convicts. The young activist, who has served a term of corrective labor, was sentenced again to 1,5 years of imprisonment in December.

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.