23.10.2009 “New Life” Protestants continue fight for their church building

Minsk-based “New Life” Full Gospel Church challenged in the court of appeal of the Economic Court the ruling of judge Ala Miroshnik to evict the church from its building.

A church lawyer Syarhei Lukanin has told about that to BelaPAN.

In the appeal “total lawlessness” of the court decision is pointed at, as the church community hasn’t received from the state sufficient compensation for the church building, which would be enough for buying a new church. If the decision would be fulfilled, more than 1,000 of believers would stay without a possibility to gather together for prayers and services, which is a violation of human rights, including the right for freedom of conscience, the appeal reads.

23.10.2009 Authorities tighten their control over Internet: Providers to be allowed to block websites

The Interior Ministry insists that providers should control respect for author’s rights on the Belarusian Internet.

The new version of the Belarusian law “On Copyright and Related Rights” prescribes actions of an Internet service provider in case when author’s rights violation is detected, “Interfax” was informed by head of the department on intellectual property defence of the Chief Directorate on Corruption and Economic crimes control of the criminal police of the Interior Ministry of Belarus, lieutenant colonel Alyaksandr Kuznyatsou.

23.10.2009 “Young front” activists beaten for Belarusian language

On October 22 in Barysau known persons beat Young Front members Maxim Akhrymenka and Yury Bahdanovich during collection of signatures in support of the Belarusian language.

“We collected signatures among passers-by together, when four unknown people in plainclothes came near us,” Maxim Akhrymenka said to mfront.net website. “They asked whether we are Young Front members, and when we said yes, they started to beat us”.

As said by the young activist, when police patrol saw the fight, policemen turned around and went the other way. Then people in plainclothes disappeared.

23.10.2009 Amendments to Electoral Code turn lipstick

On 20 October during a meeting with President Lukashenka, head of the Central Electoral Committee Mrs. Lidziya Yarmoshyna spoke on the changes to be introduced to the Belarusian electoral legislation. Political parties, whose member wants to run in the election, will not have to possess a regional office within the territory of the respective constituency. Besides, signature sheets will not have to be approved by local authorities before their submission to the Central Electoral Committee. Grounds for denying registration to a candidate will also be reviewed. Apart from that, voter turnout quota will be lifted in the upcoming local elections. However, the quota for presidential and parliamentary elections will be preserved.

23.10.2009 Opposition activist beaten by police

Zmitser Kuchun, member of the Belarusian Social Democratic Party (Hramada), has been beaten by the police, Radio Racyja reports. Representatives of Masty district police department charged the activist with disobedience of orders and disorderly conduct. However, Masty Regional Court redirected the case to the local prosecutor’s office to verify the legality of the actions by the police, which Mr. Kuchun calls ‘gangsterism’: ‘I was hit several times at the head from aback, then four policemen knocked me down and started kicking me with their feet. I would not call those persons policemen – in my opinion, they are simply gangsters’, says Zmitser Kuchun. The beating of the activist was witnessed by his wife.

23.10.2009 Human rights activist keeps reminding Foreign Ministry about its commitments

Baranavichy human rights activist Siarhei Housha has lodged a repeated complaint with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, voicing his opposition to the Ministry’s reply, which named the Optional Protocol as ‘not having a binding effect’ for the parties to the Treaty to implement the conclusions by the UN Human Rights Committee. In his complaint, the human rights activist stresses that the conclusions by the Committee ARE binding, which is stated in Article 61 of the Belarusian Constitution, securing everyone’s right, under international legal acts, ratified by Belarus, to address international organizations to protect one’s rights and freedoms, in case he or she is unable to find rehabilitation within the national legal system. According to the universal international law, a country which is a party to an international treaty must implement its provisions, which is enshrined in the Vienna Convention, to which Belarus is a party.

23.10.2009 Journalists to be supervised by special police unit, says Interior Ministry

The Belarusian police are going to reform their means of contacting journalists during demonstrations and rallies, says Deputy Minister of the Interior Yauhen Poludzen. The official said special ‘press-officers’ would soon be supervising journalists working at mass actions. They will be wearing blue retro-reflective vests. Besides, the rallies will be supervised by policemen in red retro-reflective vests. They will talk to the demonstrators who do not want to obey ‘the legal orders’ by the police.

23.10.2009 Former Parliament deputy candidate goes on hunger-strike

According to the United Civil Party’s pres-service, Andrei Bandarenka, who was running for the Parliament in 2008, who is now serving a 7-year term for an economic crime, has embarked on a hunger-strike as a protest against the groundless sentence. ‘Mr. Bandarenka has chosen for himself this kind of protest. For my own part, I and a colleague of mine are using procedure means – drawing up a number of complaints. As for Andrei, all he can do is express his protest in this way’, says Mr. Bandarenka’s lawyer Zmitser Layeuski.