16.12.2010 Minsk: activists of Citizen hand out symbolic writs to members of election commissions

Activists of the civil campaign Citizen started going round the precinct election commissions in Minsk. They plan to remind each of the 9,000 members of these commissions about the criminal responsibility for incorrect counting of votes and other violations of the electoral legislation.

16.12.2010 Young Front tells Makei to lay down weapons

Three activists of the Young Front were detained by the police for picketing the Presidential Administration on 15 December. According to one of the detainees, they held the action in connection with the recent statements of the head of the Presidential Administration, Uladzimir Makei, that the opposition was preparing terrorist acts with explosives for 19 December.

13.12.2010 Homel activists are banned to hold a rally against Lukashenka

On 12 December the Homel activists Uladzimir Siakerka and Valery Klimau could not conduct a meeting with voters aimed at anti-Lukashenka agitation.

10.12.2010 Detentions on the way to Kastrychnitskaya Square

About 15 activists of the Citizen campaign were detained for a short period of time in Minsk on 10 December. Others managed to walk along Nezalezhnastski Avenue towards Kastrychnitskaya Square with transparencies saying: ‘We have been forbidden to speak loudly!’, ‘We have been forbidden to gather in groups of more than three people’ and ‘We have been forbidden to drink coffee’, reports BelaPAN.

10.12.2010 10 December action of human rights defenders in Minsk

On 10 December human rights defenders and participants of youth movements held an action dedicated to the Human Rights Day. They handed out several thousand copies of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights to residents of Minsk.

07.12.2010 Vitsebsk authorities ban human rights picket

The human rights defenders Pavel Levinau and Leanid Svetsik received an answer from the Kastrychnitski District Executive Committee of Vitsebsk concerning their request to authorize their picket on Human Rights Day, 10 December.

06.12.2010 Unauthorized picket in the center of Minsk

On 6 December a group of women who disagree with the court verdicts on the civil and criminal that concern them and their relatives held an unauthorized picket in Svabody Square in Minsk.

01.12.2010 Cities For Life/Cities Against The Death Penalty action held in Minsk for the first time

Activists of the campaign Human Rights Defenders Against Death Penalty and representatives of the Human Rights Center Viasna held the action Cities For Life/Cities Against The Death Penalty in Minsk.

23.11.2010 Ministry of Internal Affairs reminds candidates it is prohibited to campaign at Kastrychnitskaya Square

The Ministry of Internal Affairs has reminded that pre-electoral campaigning at Kastrychnitskaya Square is prohibited. The Deputy Minister Jauhen Paludzen has reminded in his interview to a narrow circle of journalists that those who violate the laws will be subjected to responsibility. State TV-channels broadcasted some fragments of this interview on November 22, BelaPAN reports.

19.11.2010 Minsk Court turns down complaint against picket ban

Minsk Maskouski Court has dismissed a complaint against a ban on holding a picket imposed by the city executive committee. The picket’s objective was to draw public attention to mass violations of criminal and procedural legislation, including groundless detentions of civil activists in early September 2010.

01.11.2010 Candles at KGB porch

This weekend the capital saw Picket of Memory – an action dedicated to the tragic anniversary mass killing of the national elite in the Minsk prison by NKVD in the night of 29-30 October 1937.

25.10.2010 Minsk authorities ban another picket

Minsk city executive committee banned a picket, scheduled for 30 October and aimed at attracting public attention to mass violations of criminal legislation.

The official reply by the committee’s deputy chair Mr. Tsitsiankou argues that the picket cannot be held on the location applied for by civil activists, since it could allegedly ‘impair pedestrian and road traffic.’

13.10.2010 Gay activist fined 700,000 rubles for street action

On 11 October the gays and lesbians of the world mark the Coming Out Day – the day when representatives of sexual minorities voluntary reveal their sexual orientation. Belarusian gays and lesbians marked this day by holding a street action in Minsk. Though they had applied for official permission on the eve of the action, the Minsk City Executive Committee didn't sanction the rally.

12.10.2010 Universal Day against Death Penalty marked all over Belarus

Activists of the campaign Human Rights Defenders against Death Penalty held a number of informational actions for the abolishment of the death penalty on 10 October, the Universal Day against the Death Penalty, and before it. Belarus remains the only European country that continues using this inhuman kind of punishment.

08.10.2010 Barysau authorities ban picket against death penalty

On 20 September the Barysau addressed the Barysau Town Executive Committee with the request to authorize a picket against the death penalty.