15.05.2009 Police disbanded rally ‘For Independence!’

On 14 May a rally of the opposition timed to the anniversary of referendum on changing state symbols and introduction of two state languages was disbanded in Minsk. Dozens of riot policemen with truncheons clashed with people under white-red-white flags.

14.05.2009 Brest: first detentions before ‘For Freedom’ March

On 14 May at 12 a.m. near the railway station in Brest the police detained the youth activists Mikhail Iliin and Andrei Sharenda for ‘identification’ and guarded them to Leninski district police department. The detained activists were heading for the ‘For Freedom’ march that will to take place on 6 p.m. in Minsk. The detention was explained by an anonymous telephone call informing the police about two people who were behaving like hooligans at the railway station and whose appearance allegedly resembled the detained activists.

13.05.2009 Beaten activist filed complaint to prosecutor’s office

On 7 May before the action of solidarity that was held by democratic activists to mark the tenth anniversary of disappearance of Yury Zakharanka, the police detained several persons near Kastrychnitskaya metro station. Among the detainees there were Raman Bahdanovich, Siarhei Kazakou, Anatol Liabedzka, Aliaksei Senchyla and Maxim Serhiyets. The warrant officer Dzianis Korsak put down their passport data. Then the detainees were taken to a police bus, where they were beaten by policemen.

13.05.2009 Baranavichy: police detain ‘Young Front’ activist Piatro Ruzau

In the night of 12-13 May in Baranavichy the police detained the activist Piatro Ruzau for making graffiti ‘Freedom to political prisoners!’ and ‘Freedom to Autukhovich!’ on the walls of the local meat processing and packing factory in the center of the city.

13.05.2009 Detention of youth activists in Minsk

On 12 May the Young Front Minsk coordinator Pavel Kuryianovich and an activist Viktoryia Ladzis were detained in Minsk.

11.05.2009 Detention of political activists on the eve of Victory Day Parade

Two Young Front activists were detained when they left the BPF office to buy water.

11.05.2009 8 May: detentions in the center of Minsk

Riot police forces were thrown in Minsk center in the evening of 8 May. Many people, both opposition activists and passers-by, were detained.

09.05.2009 Vadzim Kanapatski filed complaint to prosecutor’s office

The deputy head of Minsk city organization of the BPF Party Vadzim Kanapatski, unlawfully detained on the eve of 7 May action, has filed a complaint to Tsentralny district prosecutor’s office against the unlawful actions of the police officers.

08.05.2009 Mahiliou: arrests for white-red-white flags at ‘Lyapis Trubetskoy’ concert

On 7 May people were detained in Mahilou at a concert played by Lyapis Trubetskoy, while the musicians were singing the song Belarus Freedom.

07.05.2009 Action in the memory of Yury Zakharanka ends with mass detentions

On 7 May at 6 p.m. several hundred people came to an action of commemoration of the ex-minister of interior Yury Zakharanka who has been missing for ten years already. The people were holding the photos of Zakharanka and the photos of the political prisoners Mikalai Autukhovich, Uladzimir Asipenka and Yury Liavonau.

07.05.2009 Vitsebsk: police detain oppositionist Barys Khamaida for ‘Pahonia’ coat of arms

According to the information of the journalist Uladzimir Padhol, Barys Khamaida has been coming to the ‘blue house’ in Vitsebsk holding the painting Pahonia, presented to him by a same-name group of Belarusian artists, for about two weeks.

05.05.2009 Police don’t know what to do with detained entrepreneurs

On 5 May at about 10.40 a.m. the head of the entrepreneurs’ organization Perspective Anatol Shumchanka and his deputies Viktar Chaikouski and Volha Krumina were detained by the police in Kasmanautau Strip while getting out of the car.

05.05.2009 Action of solidarity with Mikalai Autukhovich: day four

The action of solidarity with political prisoner Mikalai Autukhovich, who has gone on hunger strike, continued in Minsk on 4 May.

04.05.2009 Action of solidarity: day three

On 3 May activists of the civil campaign European Belarus, Young Front and Young Belarus traditionally gathered in Kastrychnitskaya Square at 6 p.m.

26.04.2009 Riot policemen against participants of “Chernobyl Way” in Minsk

Minsk riot policemen prevented holding peaceful rally “Chernobyl Way” in the centre of Minsk.

The spot near the Academy of Sciences was a sanctioned assembly point for participants. At the noon about a thousand and a half protesters gathered there. Protesters raised white-red-white flags, unfurled streamers “We oppose nuclear power station construction in Belarus”, “No to new Chernobyl”, “Return us our welfare benefits”, “No to chemical Chernobyl”, “No to toxic chemicals plant near Minsk”, “We are against nuclear reactor”. Dozens of white-red-white flags and flags of the European Union were fluttering.