17.11.2009 Unauthorized demonstration in Minsk`s central square passes off without incident

An unauthorized demonstration staged in Minsk`s downtown Kastrychnitskaya Square on Monday evening to demand the release of political prisoners and commemorate the unsolved disappearances of four government opponents passed off without incident.

The demonstration came one day before the European Union`s foreign ministers were to decide whether to reimpose sanctions against Alyaksandr Lukashenka and other Belarusian officials.

At 6 p.m., some 40 opposition activists formed a line in the square along Independence Avenue, displaying images of opposition politicians Yury Zakharanka and Viktar Hanchar, businessman Anatol Krasowski and journalist Dzmitry Zavadski, who mysteriously disappeared in 1999 and 2000. They also displayed images of Artsyom Dubski, Mikalay Awtukhovich and Uladzimir Asipenka, who are believed to be political prisoners.

09.11.2009 Detention for barbed-wire wreath

On 7 November the police detained the car of Yury Karetnikau and ordered him to drive to the Kastrychnitski district police department without offering any explanations.

09.11.2009 Minsk: action in the memory of victims of Stalin’s repressions

On 8 November the Conservative-Christian party BPF held a sanctioned meeting in the memory of the victims of Stalin’s repressions shot in Loshytski ravine. About thirty people gathered near the Culture House of the worsted plant and proceeded to Loshytski ravine, where they laid down flowers to the memorial cross and lit candles.

09.11.2009 Preventive arrest of ‘Young Front’ leaders in Minsk

The Young Front activists Mikalai Dzemidzenka and Anastasia Palazhanka were detained in Minsk on 7 November. They were going to hold a street action under the slogan ‘Tribunal for Communism’.

04.11.2009 Vitsebsk: huge fines for white-red-white flags on Ancestors’ Day

Judge of the Kastrychnitski district Edgar Martyrasian fined Vitsebsk activists Taras Surhan and Siarhei Kavalenka 700 000 rubles (about $255) each.

03.11.2009 Homel authorities disrupt celebration of ‘Dziady’

Activists of Homel branch of Frantsishak Skaryna Belarusian language Society are convinced that local authorities are to blame for thwarting the concert dedicated to Dziady.

30.10.2009 BAJ never got answer to complaint regarding attack on journalists

The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Minsk prosecutor’s office haven’t responded to the appeal of the Belarusian Association of Journalists regarding the events on September 16.

The journalists are going to file a complaint to higher authorities if an answer is not received by next week.

Euroradio learnt this from BAJ deputy head, lawyer Andrei Bastunets.

“Theoretically, the letter might have been sent, but a post office hasn’t delivered it. We are going to wait for some days, if we don’t get a response, we’ll complain.

30.10.2009 Two activists detained for anti-nuclear picket in Mahiliou

Two Mahiliou activists Aksana Samoilava and Pavel Varashylau were arrested on 29 October as they were holding a picket against the construction of a nuclear power plant in Belarus. They were taken to the local police department and are currently awaiting charges and a subsequent trial.

28.10.2009 Militia didn’t answer to BAJ appeal over attack on journalists

The Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAJ) hasn’t received an answer to its appeal concerning the events on September 16, though the deadline was on October 23.

BAJ head Zhanna Litvina told journalists would wait for a reply for a day.

“We haven’t got an official response. Maybe, it was sent on the final day, it may have taken more time because of the weekend. We are waiting until tomorrow,” Litvina told in an interview to Euroradio.

We remind that on September 16, officers of the law enforcement agencies used physical force to hinder journalist of Belarusian and foreign media to perform their professional duties. This happened during a picket of memory of politician Viktar Hanchar and businessman Anatol Krasouski, disappeared 10 years ago.

23.10.2009 Journalists to be supervised by special police unit, says Interior Ministry

The Belarusian police are going to reform their means of contacting journalists during demonstrations and rallies, says Deputy Minister of the Interior Yauhen Poludzen. The official said special ‘press-officers’ would soon be supervising journalists working at mass actions. They will be wearing blue retro-reflective vests. Besides, the rallies will be supervised by policemen in red retro-reflective vests. They will talk to the demonstrators who do not want to obey ‘the legal orders’ by the police.

20.10.2009 More fines awarded to participants of 16 October memorial picket

On 19 October Judge Ilya Svirydau of Homel Chyhunachny Court fined Valery Rybchanka, head of the Belarusian Party of Communists’ Zhlobin district office, BYR 700,000. Mr.Rybchanka is a tenth activists convicted for participating in the 16 October Hanchar and Krasouski memorial action. The total amount of fines is now BYR 10,325,000. Mr.Rybchanka says he is not surprised by the verdict: ‘Our trials are a conveyor. Once the authorities place you on the conveyor, you WILL be punished.

19.10.2009 Lyabedzka demands bring Minsk riot militiamen to criminal responsibility

The head of the United Civil Party referred to Prosecutor General of Belarus Ryhor Vasilevich.

Anatol Lyabedzka demands to organize investigation over the facts of unlawful actions of law enforcement officers and bring them to criminal responsibility, BelaPAN reports.

A ground for the appeal was forceful dispersal of a picket of solidarity held on October square of Minsk on October 16.

Anatol Lyabedzka was beaten up by militia officers during dispersal of the rally and guarding the detained to the Tsentralny district militia department.

19.10.2009 Action of solidarity dispersed brutally

The picket of solidarity in Minsk has been dispersed unprecedentedly brutally. 30 oppositionists were beaten up and arrested. Journalists were beaten as well, militia didn’t let them film this brutality.

More than a hundred of riot militiamen were thrown against the people, who came to October square in Minsk on Solidarity Day on October 16. No sooner had the protesters unfurled portrait of the political prisoners, they were beaten. A part of demonstrators sat on the ground in protest, they were beaten at first, and then forced into buses with the rest. It took only some minutes to arrest the demonstrators.

15.10.2009 ‘Santa Clauses’ surrender to prosecutor’s office on grounds of Article 193.1

Members of the liquidated Human Rights Center Viasna were among those who took part in the procession of Santa Clauses to the office of the prosecutor general of Belarus. By this unusual representatives of many unregistered civil associations wanted to remind the authorities about Article 193.1 of the Criminal Code that envisages criminal persecution for activities on behalf of unregistered organizations.

15.10.2009 Police detained activist of ‘European Belarus’ Maksim Viniarski

On 14 October the police officers of Minsk metro detained near Maladziozhnaya station the activist of the European Belarus Maksim Viniarski who was handing out informational materials with the demand to release political prisoners.