18.05.2010 Minsk police break educational seminar

On 17 May Minsk police detained the participants of an educational meeting of the ‘Bespartshkola’ open school, entitled ‘The Civil War in Spain and the Communes of Aragon’, www.belaruspartisan.org reports.

18.05.2010 Minor detained and released without charges

On 14 May the under-aged Viktoryja Ladzis was detained by the police on her way to Minsk art school in Makayonak Street. The police seized the girl’s mobile phone and took her to Minsk Pershamaiski police department.

18.05.2010 Human rights groups condemn two new Belarus death sentences

Аmnesty International, the Belarusian Helsinki Committee and the Human Rights Centre “Vіasna” London/Minsk

17.05.2010 Two more death sentences passed in Belarus

On 14 May Hrodna Regional Court sentenced two local residents to death for a triple murder, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reports. Judge Piotr Bandyk found 29-year-old Aleh Hryshkautsou and 28-year-old Andrei Burdyka guilty of committing three murders, robbery with violence and arson back in October 2009.

17.05.2010 Violent dispersal and detentions of participants of Gay Pride in Minsk are violation of right to freedom of peaceful assembly and manifestation of discrimination

Statement by the Human Rights Center ‘Viasna’ On 15 May 2010, representatives of the Interior Ministry violently dispersed a peaceful demonstration of LGBT community activists. The Minsk city authorities banned the event due to a formal reason and failed to provide an opportunity to hold the demonstration in a different place, which would suit both sides.

17.05.2010 Barysau human rights activists appeal rally restrictions

A number of Barysau human rights activists have lodged a complaint with the Barysau district executive committee, appealing against administrative restrictions imposed by the local authorities on street actions locations.

17.05.2010 CEC sees no violations of electoral laws in Mahiliou region

Seven opposition candidates, including representatives of the United Civic Party Mikalai Rasiuk, Yury Novikau and Siarhei Niarouny, members of the Freedom and Progress Party Aliaksandr Silkou and Yury Stukalau, as well as independent candidates Larysa Shukaila and Tamara Maskaliova, who were running for the local councils of Mahiliou region, received replies to their appeals against alleged electoral violations, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reports.

17.05.2010 Distributor of ‘Novy Chas’ independent newspaper detained by Hrodna police

Dzmitry Bandarchuk, activist of the United Civic Party, was arrested by the Hrodna city police as he was carrying 200 copies of officially registered newspaper ‘Novy Chas’. The distributor was detained outside the city’s bus station, a few minutes after he received the newspapers from his partner and reported this to a friend of his by the phone.

17.05.2010 Detained participants of gay parade in Minsk got fines

The participants of the rally against homophobia are found guilty of organizing an unauthorized action.

Seven participants of the Slavic gay parade, including members of the organizing committee of St Petersburg gay parade Dzmitry Milkov and Aleksandr Sheremetyev, detained in Minsk last Saturday have been released in the Pershamaiski district court, the website GayRussia.Ru informs.

17.05.2010 Belarus: Amnesty International calls on the authorities to respect LGBT rights

Amnesty International regrets the decision of the Minsk City Executive Committee to refuse permission for the Slavic Pride march to take place on Saturday 15 May.

16.05.2010 Gay parade dispersed by riot militia in Minsk

More than ten people were forcefully detained by the riot militia.

The Slavic Gay Parade 2010 held in Surhanau Street on May 15 gathered about 230 people. The participant raised a 12-meter rainbow flag shouting “No to Homophobia!”, “Equal Rights, No Compromises!”, “Homophobia is a Disease!” and other slogans.

16.05.2010 Siarhei Kavalenka sentenced to 3 years of conditional imprisonment

The Kastrychnitski District Court of Vitsebsk issued a verdict on the criminal case against Siarhei Kavalenka, a Vitsebsk activist of the Conservative-Christian Party Belarusian Popular Front. On 13 May the state accuser, Zmitser Rudakou, asked to punish Kavalenka with three years of personal restraint.

16.05.2010 Fines for white-red-white flags

Simultaneously with the trial of the criminal case against Siarhei Kavalenka in Vitsebsk, the Kastrychnitski District Court of Minsk considered the administrative cases against the Young Front activists Yulyan Misiukeivch and Uladzimir Yaromenka.

16.05.2010 Navahahradak police looking for green paint

On 13 May the Navahradak police tried to conduct searches at apartments of the local activists. They told the Protestant pastor Uladzimir Kachahur they were looking for the green paint which had been flung on a car by unknown persons.

14.05.2010 Mikola Dzemidzenka detined for walking on Kastrychnitskaya Square

On 13 May evening the riot police detained Mikola Dzemidzenka, Deputy Chairperson of the Young Front, in Kastrychnitskaya Square in Minsk.