25.03.2010 Young Front member fined

Ales Kirkevich, deputy chair of the Young Front’s Hrodna office, was fined BYR 1,225,000 by Judge Ksenia Stasiukevich of Hrodna Leninski Court, after he was arrested while distributing the Christian Defense independent newspaper.

25.03.2010 Kalinkavichy authorities blunder

A misprint made in the post address of Ruslan Miatlitski, Kalinkavichy ‘For Freedom’ coordinator, deprived the activist a right to appeal the authorities’ refusal to include him on the local election commission.

25.03.2010 2 BCD activists refused registration as candidates

Two Belarusian Christian Democracy activists Valery Valazhonak and Bahuslau Matsuk, who intended to run for Miory district council, were refused registration as candidates, after 15% of signatures collected by their campaign teams were found invalid.

25.03.2010 Minsk resident demands to stop canvassing for unregistered pro-government candidate

Minsk resident Mrs. Tamara Siarhei lodged a complaint with the Central Election Commission against the violation of the electoral legislation, after election leaflets of still unregistered pro-government candidate Uladzimir Halaburda were reported to be distributed and a an interview with the candidate was published in the major Minski kurier state-owned newspaper.

25.03.2010 Homel Regional Court turns down claim by For Freedom activist

Homel Regional Court dismissed the claim by Piotr Kuzniatsou, Homel regional coordinator of the ‘For Freedom’ movement, lodged after his campaign team for the collection of signatures was not granted registration by local election commission due to exceeding number of its members.

25.03.2010 9 Just World members refused registration as candidates

According to Anatol Novikau, head of the ‘Just World’ Brest district office, nine activists of the party were not allowed to submit their applications by members of Damachava village election commission on 15 March. The officials claimed that their working day was over, while the activists say it was 18.55 and their applications should have been registered.

25.03.2010 20 white-red-white flags seized from Moladz BPF leader

National flags were seized from the flat of Andrus Krachko by policemen who didn't draw up a report.

On the eve of the Freedom Day celebration 20 white-red-white flags were sezied from the place of the leader of "Moladz BPF" (1 to 2 metre) and 500 flags with symbols of this organisation and "Pahonya" coat of arms.

24.03.2010 Human rights activists fined

Today, on 24 March Minsk Leninski Court convicted Viasna’s activists Ales Bialiatski, Valiantsin Stefanovich and Iryna Toustsik of violating Article 23.34 of the Civil Code (violation of public event procedures) while staging a picket of protest against the recent execution of death penalties on 23 March in outside the Presidential Administration building in Minsk and fined them BYR 17,500 each.

24.03.2010 Just World seeks justice

Homel Regional Court refused to consider a claim lodged by the ‘Just World’ Party after its activist Valianstin Yauzrezau was not elected member of Zhlobin regional election commission. The party’s lawyers are currently drafting an appeal to be submitted to the Supreme Court of Belarus.

24.03.2010 Babruisk: several candidates quit election due to ‘family reasons’

Only 12 Belarusian Christian Democracy members will run in the local council elections in the town of Babruisk, after three candidates reportedly withdrew their applications for registration due to ‘family reasons.’ They asked not to publish their names and constituencies in fear of possible harassment by their employers.

24.03.2010 Supreme Economic Court turns down claim by Nash Dom newspaper

The Supreme Economic Court of Belarus dismissed a claim by the founders of the Nash Dom newspaper against the Ministry of Information’s refusal to register the edition. The claimant argued that the Ministry should have either registered the newspaper or refused the registration, instead of returning the application.

24.03.2010 German volunteers arrested in Mahilou

Volunteers from Germany were detained in the pedagogical institute and accused of unlawful activity that can lead to deportation.

According to local human rights activists, German volunteers Solwei Schoris and Susana Paul, invited to a meeting with students, were detained in the pedagogical institute in Mahilou.

23.03.2010 Viasna’s activists detained

Four members of the Human Rights Center Viasna Ales Bialiatski, Valiantsin Stefanovich, Iryna Toustsik and Siarhei Sys were detained by the police while staging a picket against the execution of Andrei Zhuk and Vasil Yuzepchuk in front of the Presidential Administration building in Minsk.

23.03.2010 Council of Europe condemns executions in Belarus

The Council of Europe strongly condemns the execution of Andrei Zhuk and of Vasily Yuzepchuk in Belarus. Death penalty is barbaric and degrading, and this is why it has been abolished by the Council of Europe through Protocol 6 to the European Convention on Human Rights. The authorities of Belarus are the only remaining ones in Europe who execute people.

23.03.2010 ‘Administrative itch’ of Orsha officials

Orsha town executive committee passed an unprecedented decision on the authorized canvassing locations in the town, specifying separate sites for each of the 30 constituencies. According to the local leaders of pro-democratic political parties, the decision is ‘an administrative itch’ of the town authorities, obsessed with controlling each and every turn of the electoral campaign.