05.02.2010 Picket against “inaction of authorities” suppressed in Talachyn

Dwellers of the town of Talachyn (the Vitsebsk region) tried to block a street, but were dispersed by the militia.

28.01.2010 Interior Minister justifies total lawlessness by riot policemen

Today the Interior Minister of Belarus has stated that during the opposition rallies journalists provoke brutality of riot policemen themselves.

At today’s press-conference in Minsk journalists grumbled to the minister of the Interior Affairs Anatoly Kulyashou at brutal actions of policemen during opposition rallies, when photo reporters and cameramen are hindered from performing their professional functions, Radio Svaboda informs.

20.01.2010 Brest court turns down claim by local activist

Brest Leninski Court turned down a complaint lodged by Uladzimir Andrashchuk against a city executive committee official Viachaslau Khafizau, following a ban to hold a demonstration on the International Human Rights Day on 10 December 2009, European Radio for Belarus reports.

14.01.2010 Barysau: court dismissed lawsuit of human rights defenders

On 11 January the court of Barysau issued a verdict on the lawsuit of the human rights defenders Aleh Matskevich and Maryna Statkevich against Barysau district executive committee that had banned holding on 10 December a picket dated to Human Rights Day.

13.01.2010 Biaroza: court dismissed lawsuit of human rights defenders

The Biaroza district court finished the trial of the lawsuit of the human rights defenders Vasil Azaranka and Siarzhuk Rusetski against the refusal of Biaroza district executive committee to authorize the picket dated to Human Rights Day, 10 December.

11.01.2010 Vitsebsk: criminal case brought against Siarhei Kavalenka

As BelaPAN learned from Pavel Seviarynets, co-head of the organizing committee of the Belarusian Christian Democracy Party, Siarhei Kavalenka, activist of the Conservative Christian Party BPF accused of hanging out a national white-red-white flag on a New Year’s tree, has been transferred to a detention facility for two months on order of the prosecutor of Vitebsk.

04.01.2010 Court declined pretensions of Homel human rights defenders to executive committee

On 30 December Siarhei Shytsikau, judge of the Tsentralny district court of Homel turned down the lawsuits of the human rights defenders Anatol Paplauny and Leanid Sudalenka to Homel city executive committee. The plaintiffs demanded that the court abolished the ruling of the executive committee on the prohibition of a human rights picket on 10 December, Human Rights Day.

04.01.2010 Biaroza: human rights activists sue district authorities

Biaroza human rights defenders have received summons to the court in the capacity of plaintiffs. The defendant is Biaroza district executive committee who prohibited the activists to hold a picket on 10 December, the Human Rights Day.

28.12.2009 Prosecution for charitable actions in Brest suspended

Brest Leninski Court suspended civil prosecution of two local activists Sviatlana Novikava and Aliaksandr Kazliankou, charged with violating rally procedures while arranging a charitable action of doling food to low-income persons in the city center. The activists say they are going to continue arranging similar charitable acts in Brest.

24.12.2009 LGBT activists fined

On 23 December Judge Aksana Reliava of Minsk Savetski Court considered the civil cases of two LGBT activists Siarhei Androsenka and Siarhei Pradzed charged with holding an unauthorized picket outside the Iranian embassy on 16 December. Judge Reliava found them guilty and fined the activists BYR 825,000 and 350,000 respectively. Another participant of the picket was fined BYR 105,000 on 17 December.

22.12.2009 Court fails to consider complaint by Homel human rights activists

On 21 December Judge Siarhei Shytsikau of Homel Tsentralny Court ruled not to consider appeal filed by local human rights activists Anatol Paplauny and Leanid Sudalenka against decision #299 by Homel city authorities, denying a right to hold a picket on the International Human Rights Day, 10 December.

22.12.2009 Snow Maidens attempt to file petition with Parliament

A number of human rights activists wearing the costumes of Snow Maidens and New Year hares have tried to file a petition with the Belarusian Parliament urging the officials to abolish Article 193-1 of the Criminal Code. The performance was aimed at drawing attention to criminal prosecution for illegal NGO membership after the Parliament members went into recess without even considering the issue, despite numerous statements on possible annulment of the infamous Article.

17.12.2009 Opposition activists demonstrate in downtown Minsk against political persecution

About 50 people staged an unauthorized demonstration in Minsk's downtown Kastrychnitskaya Square on December 16 to demand an end to alleged political persecution and commemorate the unsolved disappearances of four opponents of the government.

15.12.2009 Brest: the only human rights rally in Belarus on Human Rights Day

In Belarus the only rally dated to the 61st anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Human Rights Day was sanctioned in Brest, at the Locomotive stadium that has been determined by Brest authorities as the only place for the opposition’s mass actions.

10.12.2009 Information action in Rechytsa

On 10 December in Rechytsa the local civil and political activists handed out about 1,500 copies of the bulletin Rechytskia Ahliad dedicated to the 61st anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. As said by the human rights defender Valer Putsitski, the police did not interfere with the action and citizens treated the action positively.