17.03.2010 Committee to Protect Journalists denounces police raids on independent journalists in Belarus

The US-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has condemned Tuesday`s wave of police raids targeting independent reporters in Belarus.

17.03.2010 Barysau: no time for appeals

None of the 25 representatives of the United Civic Party was elected member of the district’s divisional election commissions, the local pro-government ‘Adzinstava’ newspaper reports.

17.03.2010 Minsk Court rules against BPF

Minsk Partyzanski Court turned down a proposal by the Belarusian Popular Front inquiring about the possibility of inclusion of a number of the party members on the city’s election commissions, arguing the commissions were not fully staffed.

17.03.2010 Disabled person wins trial against local authorities

On 16 March Hrodna Kastrychnitski Court considered the claim by Siarhei Feshchanka against Hrodna regional police department, demanding implementation of the ‘Barrier-Free Environment’ program (he required that a ramp be constructed at the entrance to the building of Hrodna road police department)and a compensation for the disability inflicted by his falling on the premises of the town’s road police department.

17.03.2010 UCPB Orsha office demands explanations from town authorities

The United Civic Party Orsha town office addressed the town executive committee with a demand to provide official explanations concerning the two facts of non-inclusion of the party’s representatives on the town’s divisional election commissions.

17.03.2010 Baranavichy town authorities amend list of canvassing locations, questions remaining

Baranavichy town executive committee amended its decision #379 of 12 February 2010 on canvassing locations in the town, failing to provide explanations for the changes. The updated list of canvassing locations includes the entire territory of the Komsomol 50th Anniversary Park, thus ‘enlarging’ the canvassing opportunities by 50%.

17.03.2010 Policemen confiscate 50 thousand issues of independent newspaper in Vitsebsk

Employees of Vitsebsk District Executive Committee have confiscated 50 thousand issues of the “Our Home” newspaper printed by a civil initiative of the same name. Activists of the initiative Volha Karach and Victar Ramnyou were trying to bring the unregistered edition from Smolensk

17.03.2010 BPF member fired over run in election

Mrs. Tatsiana Balabanskaya, member of the Belarusian Popular Front, who is running for Maladechna Council, was fired by her employer at Maladechna forestry enterprise.

17.03.2010 90% of constituencies in Vitsebsk region to be non-alternative

3,530 deputies will be elected on local councils, with 3,820 candidates having applied for registration, i.e. 1.09 candidates per each seat. However, it is clear that at least 90 per cent of the region’s constituencies will be non-alternative.

17.03.2010 Police stage fresh wave of raids on independent journalists

Minsk`s police staged Tuesday a new wave of searches targeting independent journalists in connection with a high-profile criminal case known as a hunting case.

17.03.2010 Arrested participants of action of solidarity in Minsk to stand trials

Reports were drawn up against European Belarus activists detained near the Supreme Court on March 16.

13 activists of European Belarus were arrested for having come with portraits of political prisoners to the Supreme Court, where Mikalai Autukhovich and Uladzimir Asipenka are standing trial.

17.03.2010 Nomination of candidates: information from the regions (updated)

Homel region

In the region, according to official data, applications were filed by over 4,1 thousand persons – for 3,952 seats in the councils of various levels. The 60 seats in the Regional Council are claimed by 126 people. Party members make up about 3,5% of all the candidates (148 people), including 47 – the party ‘Just World’, 51 – the UCP, 3 – the BNF. The pro-government CPB party and the Republican Party of Labor and Justice have nominated 41 and 6 persons respectively.

17.03.2010 Viasna concerned over harsh detention conditions in Cuba

The Human Rights Center ‘Viasna’ expresses its concern over the death of the famous Cuban prisoner of conscience Orlando Zapata after 85 days of hunger-strike, while serving his 36-year term on charges of contempt, public disorder, and disobedience.

16.03.2010 Nomination of candidates: information from the regions

Homel region

In the region, according to official data, applications were filed by over 4,1 thousand persons – for 3,952 seats in the councils of various levels. The 60 seats in the Regional Council are claimed by 126 people. Party members make up about 3,5% of all the candidates (148 people), including 47 – the party ‘Just World’, 51 – the UCP, 3 – the BNF.

16.03.2010 Mahiliou: human rights activist Aliaksei Kolchyn refused information

On 16 March Aliaksei Kolchyn, human rights activist and observer representing Mahiliou Human Rights Center at Mahiliou City Election Commission, was refused information on the candidates, who had applied for running in the election.