21.07.2008 Orsha: official violating election legislation elected deputy chairman of election commission

On July 16th Orsha city district election commission held a meeting. It had organizational issues on the agenda. Natallia Zakharankava was elected chairperson of the commission. Zakharankava is an executive officer of Orsha city executive committee. Aleh Kazlou, head of the city executive committee’s sports department, was elected her deputy.

21.07.2008 Illya Bohdan: “About 100 persons were arrested in blast case. All of them were called political”

The released opposition activists tell how many people are in reality detained in the case related to the blast in Minsk on July 4.

On July 20 after 11 a.m. activist of the Belarusian Popular Front Anton Koipish and Illya Bohdan were released from the remand prison in Akrestsin Street, Minsk. They were detained for 10 days as suspects in a criminal case relating the blast at the concert on July 4 in Minsk dedicated to Independence Day. Charges were not brought up against them.

21.07.2008 Prisoners of Babruisk penal colony slit wrists

Prisoners told they suffered from unbearable pressure of the colony administration, so they decided on a mass suicide.

Prisoners phoned to editorial offices of independent Belarusian media – RFE/RL and “Komsomolskaya Pravda v Belarusi”. A man phoned to “KP v Belarusi” and introduced himself as a prisoner of the 2-nd Babruisk penal colony. He said the pressure of the administration of the colony is unbearable and that is why a mass suicide of prisoners is scheduled for 3.00 pm on 18 July. “Come here! We won’t allow doctors to us, we’ll bleed...” he said.