17.04.2009 Riot militiamen beat opposition and tear EU flags on Solidarity Day in Belarus

An action of solidarity with political prisoners was brutally dispersed in Minsk on April 16. People who came to October square were brutally beaten by riot militiamen.

About a hundred opposition activists gathered on October square to demand the authorities to release prisoners of conscience.

Activists of the civil campaign “European Belarus”, “Young Front” and ”Young Belarus” took part in the rally. Leader of the “European Belarus” campaign Andrei Sannikov, coordinator of Charter’97 press center Zmitser Bandarenka, head of the Belarusian Popular Front party Lyavon Barshcheuski, leader of the “Young Front” Zmitser Dashkevich, co-head of the Belarusian Christian Democracy party Paval Sevyarynets, leader of the “Young Belarus” Artur Finkevich, activists of the “European Belarus” campaign Paval Yukhnevich, Maksim Vinyarski, Alyaksandr Atroshchankau, participants of the Process of 14 Artsyom Dubski, Maksim Dashuk, Anton Koipish and others came to the square.

15.04.2009 Salihorsk vertical bans a peaceful rally

The aims of the rally, which Larysa Nasanovich and the entrepreneur Alexander Tsatsura intended to hold on 20 April, were to draw the attention of Salihorsk dwellers to cases of self-will and violations from the side of the local authorities and to protest against harassment of civil activists and rude trampling of civil rights by security services.

15.04.2009 Action demanding to amnesty political prisoners dispersed near House of Government

Activists of the civil campaign “European Belarus” demanded to include participants of the Process of 14 in the amnesty.

An action on Independence square in front of the House of Government, where the “house of representatives” also seats, was held because the Belarusian “MPs” are going to adopt a draft law on amnesty on April 15. The Draft Law on Amnesty on the Occasion of the 65th Anniversary of Liberation Belarus from Nazi Troops was offered by Alyaksandr Lukashenka.

09.04.2009 Who needs Astravets nuclear power station?

Activists of the initiative Astravets nuclear power station is a crime applied for sanctioning of an action of protest against construction of the power station on 25 April.

09.04.2009 Prosecutor’s office refuses to bring a criminal case on beating of participants of St.Valentine’s Day action

The prosecutors’ office of Savetski district of Minsk ‘does not consider’ beating up participants of the peaceful rally of young people in the capital on St. Valentine’s Day by riot policemen ‘to be a socially dangerous act’.

06.04.2009 Kobryn: youth activist gets detained for white-red-white flag

In Kobryn the police detained the local activist of Young Front Andre Vieramiuk for hanging out a white-red-white flag. At 6 p.m. on Saturday they hanged out the flag at 12-meter height on one of the buildings in the center of the city. When they wanted to go away from the place, the riot squad policemen approached them and said that some citizens complained about the white-red-white flag.

03.04.2009 ‘European Belarus’ protests against Russian military bases in Belarus

On April 2 in Minsk near October cinema where lots of city dwellers were at that moment, three activists of the civil campaign European Belarus raised a national flag at the second-storey platform of the building and unfurled a poster with the words No to Russian military bases! Young oppositionists chanted: ‘Russian soldier, go home!’, ‘No to union! Yes to freedom!’, ‘No to union with imperialistic Russia!’

02.04.2009 Authorities of Baranavichy liquidate the right to peaceful assemblies

Adherents of the For Freedom movement have received a negative answer from Brest oblast executive committee to their proposal to abolish the ruling of Baranavichy city executive committee About the rules of holding mass actions in the city of Baranavichy.

02.04.2009 ‘Young Front’ pickets House of Government on ‘Unity Day’

Activists of Young Front organization have held a picket in front of the House of government. They held a white-red-white flag and a flag of the organization, as well as the streamer ‘NO to union, NO to occupation’.

02.04.2009 Opposition filed application for sanctioning Charnobyl Way 2009

The organizing committee of the action filed an application to the Minsk city executive committee on 2 April. According to RFE/RL, the committee consists of leaders of the Belarusian Popular Front party Liavon Barshcheuski, Vintsuk Viachorka and Viktar Ivashkevich, head of the United Civil Party Anatol Liabedzka, and chairman of the Party of Communists of Belarus Siarhei Kaliakin.

01.04.2009 Authorities ban pickets of trade union activists

Hrodna authorities turned down the application of the trade union of radio-electronic industry (TUREI) on sanctioning their picket scheduled for 3 April. The aim of the picket was to express solidarity with the trade union activists in Mahiliou and Homel, where the authorities have many times refused to register the primary units of the trade unions.

27.03.2009 Protest action of entrepreneurs in Mahilou: tax increase cancelled

The result of the today’s meeting of entrepreneurs was that the Mahilou region executive committee suspended operation of a regulation of the region council on single tax and value added tax increase.

About 300 entrepreneurs came in the morning to Lenin square in Mahiou near the building of the region executive committee protesting against tax increase, Radio Svaboda reports.

26.03.2009 Rally of protest against human rights violations in Belarus held in Gdynia, Poland

According to the BelaPAN news agency, several dozens persons held an action of protest against human rights violations in Belarus in the town of Gdynia, Poland. The rally was organized by Amnesty International’s international network and Belarusian students of Gdansk. The activists distributed leaflets covering the latest human rights violations in the neighbouring Belarus. They also collected several hundreds of signatures under a petition to be sent to the Belarusian government, urging the authorities to abolish the death penalty in Belarus.

26.03.2009 Vitsebsk dwellers to stand trials for Freedom Day celebrating

Syarhei Kavalenka, Ihar Bazarau, Valer Alyaksandrau, Leanid Autukhou, and Alyaksandr Kuznyatsou will stand trials for participating in actions on March 25.

The cases of the five activists are to be considered by the Kastrychnitski district court of Vitsebsk today, Radio Svaboda reports.

25.03.2009 Authorities planning provocation against demonstrators on 25 March

During a special press-conference on 25 March, the organizers of the Freedom Day demonstration Liavon Barshcheuski, Vintsuk Viachorka, Viktar Ivashkevich, along with famous politicians Mikola Statkevich and Anatol Liabedzka, said the authorities had prepared a provocation against the participants of the upcoming rally. ‘According to the information we have received, the authorities are planning to break the peaceful celebrations of Freedom Day. They have prepared cars to be overthrown, riot police to beat up the demonstrators and cameramen to shoot the show. Since we now know about the provocation, it is not likely to be implemented. However, we can expect other attempts to break the celebrations. Still, the organizers will do their best to hold a peaceful and festive demonstration’, said Viktar Ivashekvich.