23.06.2009 Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner sets five conditions for Belarus

During her stay in Minsk on 22 June, the European Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner expressed her hope that ‘relations between Belarus this country in the heart of Europe and the European Union can become warmer and closer in the future.’ However, she stressed that it is only possible in case Belarus took a number of steps aimed at introducing democratic reforms in the country. Mrs.Ferrero-Waldner said her meeting with President Lukashenka was very productive. She also said that ‘more cooperation could mean lighter visa requirements and so easier travel to the EU, and more opportunities for cultural and educational exchange.’

23.06.2009 ARCHE magazine not extremist any longer, says KGB

The KGB Brest regional department will not insist on naming #7-8 of the ARCHE analytical magazine extremist, says the KGB spokesman Mikhail Sharkouski. According to the defendant’s lawyer Pavel Sapelka, the next hearing of the trial is due on 25 June. ‘Since there is no point of dispute anymore, we hope that the case will be terminated. The court has no grounds for turning down the KGB’s motion,’ said the lawyer.

22.06.2009 BAJ holds round table discussion on construction of nuclear power plant in Belarus

The Belarusian Association of Journalists has held a round table discussion on the construction of a nuclear power plant in Astravets district, Hrodna region. The meeting was aimed at attracting international attention to Belarus’ abidance by the Aarhus Convention. The seminar was attended by a number of experts and analysts, as well as journalists. The participants of the discussion arrived at a decision that the main issue is not the security of the construction, but the lack of experts in the field of nuclear engineering in Belarus.

22.06.2009 Activist detained for distributing independent newspaper

On 20 June the police arrested Anatol Yurevich, resident of the village of Pilnia, Slutsk district, for distributing the Narodnaya Volia newspaper, despite its free distribution license. The activist was taken to the local police department and later released. Mr.Yurevich says he is going to lodge a complaint against the policemen with the local prosecutor’s office.

22.06.2009 Oppositionists fined for disobeying police

Two Vitsebsk youth activists Aliaksei Pilevich and Kastus Ivanou have been fined BYR 700,000 each for failing to produce their passports and resisting arrest during the 26 Chernobyl Shliakh demonstration, Judge Valiantsina Kismiaroshkina basing her verdict on the evidence provided by the police. According to Aliaksei Pilevich, the police had been aware of the rally and tried to break it by patrolling downtown Vitsebsk. The activist was stopped and asked to produce his personal belongings. Mr.Pilevich refused to do so, claiming the search was illegal. Kastus Ivanou is also sure that the fines were groundless since he was arrested by plainclothes policemen, which was mentioned in the arrest records.

22.06.2009 European Union and Belarusian regime started dialogue on human rights

On 16-17 June 2009, the European Union and Belarus held the first round of human rights dialogue in Prague.

The dialogue was held in a constructive and open atmosphere.

The dialogue allowed an exchange of views on the human rights situation both in Belarus and in the EU, focusing in particular on freedom of assembly and association, including labour rights, freedom of expression and information, freedom of thought, conscience and religion, combating different forms of intolerance and hate crimes, rights of migrants and persons belonging to minorities, combating trafficking of human beings, protection of different vulnerable groups, situation in prisons and detention facilities, death penalty.

22.06.2009 Belarusian oppositionists arrested for EU symbols

Arrests for EU symbols go on even on the day of Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner visit.

In the evening June 21, activists of the civil campaign “European Belarus” Aleh Ladutska and Uladzimir Kumets were on the intersection of Plekhanov Street and Rokossovsky Avenue.

The guys were pasting posters calling to join the civil campaign “European Belarus”. Their actions were noticed by militiamen, who drove up, got out of the car, and searched the guys. They found some posters with EU symbols on Aleh Ladutska. After that the oppositionists were guarded to the Leninski district militia department of Minsk.

22.06.2009 Ferrero-Waldner: EU took off rose-coloured glasses long ago

Benita Ferrero-Waldner, European Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy, started her visit to Minsk with a meeting with representatives of the opposition and the civil society.

In the morning June 22, Benita Ferrero-Waldner met with Stanislau Shushkevich, former chairman of the Supreme Council of Belarus and leader of the Belarusian Social Democratic Hramada; former political prisoner Alyaksandr Kazulin; head of the United Civil Party Anatol Lyabedzka; leader of the Belarusian Party of Communists Syarhei Kalyakin; deputy head of the BPF party Vintsuk Vyachorka.

19.06.2009 Valiantsin Stefanovich: ‘Ivan Kruk’s case should reach UN HR Committee’

The case of Ivan Kruk, member of the civil initiative ‘Astravets Nuclear Power Plant is a Crime’, has finally reached the court. The activist is charged with distributing printed materials with no proper output data. According to Viasna’s representative Valiantsin Stefanovich, Belarusian human rights activists are ready to help Mr.Kruk in protecting his rights. ‘We consider the situation as a violation of Mr.kruk’s rights and an outrage against Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, since the Treaty guarantees the right to freely disseminate and receive any kind of information.

19.06.2009 Right-wing Alliance registered

Minsk Tsentralny Executive Committee has granted state registration to the Right-wing Alliance as a non-profit information organization, says the NGO’s leader Yury Karetnikau. Their objectives include promoting political concepts and national ideas, non-profit publishing and tourist activities, as well as the propaganda of healthy life-style. ‘We are going to do what we have been doing before, but at the legal level. We also intend to open local offices in 25 Belarusian cities and towns,’ said Mr.Karetnikau. In 2004 Yury Karetnikau together with his associates tried to register Right-wing Alliance as a non-government organization. However, the authorities refused to do so, Mr.Karetnikau himself having been fired by his employer.

19.06.2009 Amnesty International: Council of Europe must remember about Belarusian political prisoners

On June 23 PACE deputies will vote on the issue of returning Special Guest status to Belarus.

Whatever the result of the vote would be, the human rights organisation “Amnesty International” calls upon the Assembly not to give up attempts to convince Belarus of necessity to announce official moratorium on capital punishment, and in the future – to abolish capital punishment. Besides, the Assembly should join in calls on immediate and unconditional release of 11 persons recognized as prisoners of conscience by Amnesty International, the statement of the organisation reads, “Viasna” informs.

19.06.2009 Dzmitry Harachnka: “Zeltser’s leg swollen, and he has lost much weight”

The lawyer of the US citizen Emanuel Zeltser has visited his client in the colony.

Emanuel Zeltser continues the hunger strike for 9th day, Radio Svaboda informs. He protests against actions of the Belarusian authorities that refuse to give the prisoner documents necessary for amnesty.

18.06.2009 Baranavichy authorities mitigate rally procedures

Baranavichy Town Executive Committee has resolved to reform the procedures for holding mass actions in the town by freeing local civil activists of their duty to pay public security, medicine and fire brigade expenses in advance. According to the lawyer Siarhei Housha, the activists have achieved a little victory. ‘We insisted that the regional board of judges initiate changes to the legislation on mass actions. We must not sign contracts with the police, fire brigades etc. It is the task of the authorities, since the work of the officials is paid with the help of the taxes contributed by every working citizen,’ said Mr.Housha.

18.06.2009 Zinaida Hanchar persistent about investigation

Zinaida Hanchar, widow of the disappeared politician Viktar Hanchar, has addressed Mrs. Giovanna Zucchelli, secretary of the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances, with a letter demanding to oblige the Belarusian authorities to provide comments on the information stated by President Lukashenka during his recent interview with a number of Russian mass media. In her letter, Mrs. Hanchar says that ‘the recent communication by the Belarusian government of 3 February 2009 states that the investigation of the disappearance of Mr. Hanchar has been extended till 24 March 2009 and that so far the prosecutor does not have any new information on the matter.’ However, in his interview with the Zavtra Russian newspaper of 10 June 2009, President Lukashenka named a number of reasons for the murder of the persons, who are still considered missing.

18.06.2009 Dutch politicians concerned over harassment of Belarusian gays

According to the Dutch minister of foreign affairs Maxime Verhagen, the Netherlands, the EU and other European bodies are deeply concerned about the persecution of Belarusian sexual minorities. ‘The Netherlands will keep monitoring the situation in the field of human rights in Belarus, including the rights of sexual and other minorities,’ said Mr.Verhagen in his reply to a letter by a number of Dutch MPs, who expressed their concern about the issue.