28.08.2007 Benita Ferrero-Waldner Dismayed by New Arrests and Detentions in Belarus

On 24 August the EU Commissioner for External Relations Benita Ferrero-Waldner stated:

‘Following the arrest and detention of several members of the Belarusian democratic opposition in July, which I had strongly condemned, I am dismayed by the new arrests and detentions reported over the last days, including that of Mr. Severinets, who was also among those detained in July. I call once again on the Belarusian authorities to release all those detained on political grounds without delay, and to respect the inalienable rights of the people of Belarus to assemble peacefully and express themselves freely.

28.08.2007 Homel: United Civil Party Applies to Prosecutor’s Office Concerning Office Trespass

On 28 August Homel regional UCP organization applied to the head of Chyhunachny district police department of Homel and to the district prosecutor’s office in connection with an illegal police raid to its office. During their visit the police examined the office, videoed it and detained the present people.

28.08.2007 Brest Police Continue Detaining Youth

In the night of 26 August in Brest the police detained the youth activists Mikhail Illin, Andrei Sharenda and Yuliya Shashko who were sticking leaflets ‘Freedom to Seviarynets’. The detainees were kept at Leninski police department of Brest for three hours and were released after the policemen composed the detention, violation and confiscation reports. Next week the activists will be tried.

28.08.2007 Detentions and Trials in Niasvizh

In the night of 24-25 August in Niasvizh the police detained four youth activists: Nasta Azarka, A.Dubski, A.Zhukau and Nasta Palazhanka. They were charged with hooliganism for writing ‘Belarus is Sacred’ on a fence. The activists had to spend the rest of the night at Niasvizh district police department. The police ignored Palazhanka’s demand to call a defense lawyer.

28.08.2007 Homel Police Detain Participants of Meeting with Pastor Sabila

On 26 August in Homel several civil society activists were seized by the police at a meeting with the pastor of an outlawed Protestant church Ernest Sabila. The pastor of the Belarusian Evangelic Church came to the city to meet with members of the Frantsishak Skaryna Belarusian Language Society. Held at the city`s office of the United Civic Party, the meeting was attended by about 20 people.

28.08.2007 Minsk Youth Hold Action of Protest against Beating of Girls by Police

On 26 August an action of protest against illegal detainments and beatings of the youth opposition activists took place at the crossroads of Niamiha and Haradsky Val streets in the center of Minsk. 20 people installed a street banner ‘When you are at home they are beating up girls’ and the posters running about the events of 16 August.

24.08.2007 Youth Activist Pavel Baranouski Fined for Posting Stickers

Pershamaiski district administrative commission of Minsk has fined the youth activist Pavel Baranouski 186 000 rubles for posting stickers. This was qualified as violation of paragraph 46 of the Rules of Well-keeping and maintenance of the city of Minsk. In the commission’s ruling it was stated that ‘Baranouski does not deny the fact of violation. He has explained that he had posted stickers because he wanted Belarus to be a part of Europe.’

23.08.2007 Brest: Three 'Hramada' Activists Detained after Trial of Pavel Seviarynets

On 22 August Leninski district court of Brest heard a case against the political leader Pavel Seviarynets. Mr. Seviarynets was charged with repeated violation of the rules of holding mass actions within 1-year term (part 3 of article 23.34 of the Administrative Code) and sentenced to 15 days of jail.

23.08.2007 Detained Members and Spectators of Svabodny Teatr set Free. Police Compose Report on Pavel Yukhnevich

Directors, actors and spectators of Svabodny Teatr (Free Theatre) headed by Mikalai Khalezin were set free today from the Savetski district police department in Minsk. At the department the detainees were made to write explanatory notes but the police composed no detention or violation reports. The only report was composed against a youth activist Pavel Yukhnevich, who was kept at the police department longer than other detainees. ‘I think that it is connected to his being a political activist. The police just used this occasion to compose a report on him’, commented Khalezin.

22.08.2007 Pavel Seviarynets Sentenced to 15 Days of Jail

On 22 August Maskouski district court of Minsk held the third sitting on an administrative case against a political leader Pavel Seviarynets. The trial was to have taken place on 20 August, but was postponed first to 21 August and then to 22 August because of absence of the police witnesses. All this time Mr. Seviarynets was kept in Brest isolator.

21.08.2007 Aliaksei Shein’s Complaint Turned down

Minsk city court turned down an appeal of a co-chairman of the organizing committee of the Belarusian Christian Democracy Party Aliaksei Shein against a verdict of Frunzenski district court of Minsk sentencing the activist to 15 days of jail under article 23.34 of the Adminstrative Code (violation of the order of holding mass actions or pickets).

20.08.2007 Brest: Police Disrupt Meeting with Pavel Seviarynets

On 19 August in Brest the police detained participants of a meeting with a youth leader Pavel Seviarynets. It happened in 30 minutes after the beginning of the meeting. At first the people heard somebody knocking on the door. Then somebody started breaking it out. Shouting: ‘There is a thieves’ meeting! Hands up! I will shoot!’ a group of persons in mufti with a lieutenant-colonel at the head burst into the BPF office rented in a small cafe. About 20 policemen blocked the cafe, detained 32 persons and lead them out with hands on the heads.

20.08.2007 Ivatsevichy: Police Detain Group of Youth Activists

After a visit to memorable places in Kosava a group of youngsters (consisting predominantly of members of BPF Youth) rested in Ivatsevichy district. Today they have been detained by the police.

20.08.2007 Salihorsk: Police Detain and Beat Cycle Race Participants

On Sunday, 19 August, activists of Salihorsk branch of Young Front held a circle race that ended with detentions and beatings.

17.08.2007 Chronicle of Events on Solidarity Day, 16 August

On 16 August in Minsk the police used different means to prevent the traditional monthly action of solidarity with political prisoners and families of the missing public and political activists. They behaved most rudely and boldly near St. Joseph’s church in Svabody Square.