18.01.2008 Political Prisoner Mikalay Autukhovich Released

he level of restriction has been changed for corrective labour to political prisoner and small businessman Mikalai Autukhovich. He has already left Minsk for his home town of Vaukavysk.

18.01.2008 Ales Bialiatski: “Sentence to Alexander Zdzvizhkou is direct violation of the Constitution”

Minsk city court announced its verdict on the case against Alexander Zdzvizhkou, former deputy editor-in-chief of Zhoda newspaper. He was found guilty of violation of article 130 part 2 of the Criminal Code “inciting religious enmity” for reprinting caricatures of Prophet Mohammed. Zdzvizhkou received a sentence of three years of imprisonment in a medium security prison.

18.01.2008 Riot police beat young people in court

Zmitser Fedaruk was beaten brutally when detained in Centralny court of Minsk. He left the court of the Central district together with other visitors. Yesterday the youth activists detained on 16 January, the Solidarity Day, were tried there. When leaving the court, Fedaruk was knocked down by seven police officers and thrown into a police car. He struck his head against the floor of the car, but his legs were outside, and then the policemen began to shove him into the car

18.01.2008 Zmitser Fedaruk arrested for 15 days

Zmitser Fedaruk, activist of the Young Front, was sentenced by Centralny district court of Minsk to 15 days of arrest. Yesterday he was detained in the court where he had come to support the activists detained on 16 January, the Solidarity Day.

18.01.2008 Deputy editor-in-chief imprisoned for 3 years for caricatures of Muhammad

Minsk city court sentenced former editor-in-chief of Zhoda newspaper Alexander Zdzvizhkou to 3 years of imprisonment in a medium security prison.

18.01.2008 The release of all political prisoners is one of the key conditions for Belarus to renew its

STATEMENT

by Mr Jacek PROTASIEWICZ, The Chairman - DELEGATION FOR RELATIONS WITH BELARUS

18.01.2008 Human rights and democracy in Belarus off to discouraging start in the new year

Chairman of US Helsinki Commission Congressman Alcee Hastings brings the issue of Belarus to the floor