News on the topic: freedom of peaceful assembly
10.01.2008 Viachaslau Siwchyk Sentenced to 10 Days of Jail
At about 7.10 p.m. on 9 January in the center of Minsk the police detained an opposition activist Viachaslau Siwchyk. According to his mother, Halina Siwchyk, he was accused of dirty swearing and guarded to Tsentralny district police department of Minsk. This night he spent in the remand prison in Akrestsin Street.
09.01.2008 Pressurization of Minsk Entrepreneurs Increases
Today all entrepreneurs who work at the World of Books exhibition center have been familiarized with the following announcement of the administration: ‘Since 11 a.m. till 3 p.m. representatives of Minsk city executive committee, tax inspection and the Ministry of Internal Affairs will check the regime of the working day. In case of closure of the working place without a good excuse and absence of the vendor the retail license will be annulled’.
09.01.2008 ‘Young Front’ Makes Graffiti in Support of Artur Finkevich
Graffiti ‘Freedom for Finkevich!’ and slogans ‘Finkevich should be released! Kuzkou – to prison!’
08.01.2008 New Action in Support of Artur Finkevich
On 7 January a banner with a slogan 'Freedom to Finkevich!' was placed by Young Front activists in the center of Minsk at maxim Bahdanovich and Vera Kharuzhaya streets crossing.
27.12.2007 Entrepreneurs to strike after negotiations with authorities
Viktar Harbachou confirmed the entrepreneurs are going to stop their work from 1 to 15 January.
26.12.2007 Young People Picket Ministry of Internal Affairs and KGB
Activists of the civil campaign “Jeans for Freedom” were picketing Penal Jurisdiction department. Young people were standing with portraits of the political prisoner Artur Finkevich.
17.12.2007 Belarusians deprived of their last benefits
Commutation tickets, benefits for veterans, and cards for free medicines are no longer in force since December 17th. The number of people with benefits for utility payments, health care and communication services has been reduced.
17.12.2007 Freedom to Political Prisoners
Many actions were held in Minks and other cities of Belarus on December 16th, the Day of Belarusian Solidarity.
17.12.2007 Entrepreneurs to Strike on December 19th
Anatol Shumchanka, leader of Perspektyva movement, urged all entrepreneurs to take part in the strike on December 19th.
14.12.2007 Only 2 out of 800 Picket Applications are granted by Belarusian Authorities
The local authorities have granted only 2 out of about 800 applications for pickets against the repeal of social benefits. Let us remind that on 16 December, on the eve of the benefit cuts, adherents of oppositional parties and organizations are going to hold many social pickets.
14.12.2007 Prosecutor’s Office Abstains from Bringing New Criminal Case against Ivan Shyla
Recently the father of the youth activist Ivan Shyla has paid a visit to the prosecutor’s office of Salihorsk. As a result of a check-up it was decided not to bring a criminal case against Ivan. Still, the police can appeal against this decision of the prosecutor’s office.
14.12.2007 Zmitser Khvedaruk Complains to Prosecutor’s Office about His Beating
On 12 December the riot police violently dispersed an unauthorized action 'For Independent Belarus' in Kastrychitskaya Square in Minsk. The action was timed to the visit of the Russian president Vladimir Putin. During the dispersal the policemen purposely used violence against some of the action participants. A youth leader Zmitser Khvedaruk suffered most: he lost consciousness and was hospitalized. Later the medics diagnosed brain concussion, closed cranial trauma and numerous bruises.
14.12.2007 Brest: Participants of Anti-Putin Picket Get Imprisoned
A human rights activist Uladzimir Vialichkin told RFE/RL that the riot police detained several public activists near the General consulate of Russia in Brest.
14.12.2007 Participants of Another Action of Protest against Putin’s Visits Detained in Niamiha Street
Actions 'For Independent Belarus' continue in Minsk. Another action against Vladimir Putin’s visit to Belarus was organized at 6.20 p.m. on 13 December. Several dozens of activists of the civil campaign 'For Freedom!' with a banner ‘Putin, Go Home!’ came out to the Minsk center in Niamiha Street. The young people unfurled European, national and official Belarusian flags. They chanted ‘Putin, Go Home!’ ‘Independence!’, ‘No unions with Russia!’, ‘It’s not Russia here!’ and tore portraits of Putin into pieces.
13.12.2007 Human Rights Activists Remind Navumau about Political Prisoners
On 13 December a group of human rights activists consisting of the deputy chair of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) Ales Bialiatski, the human rights activists Alena Laptsionak, Valiantsin Stefanovich and Siarzhuk Sys passed to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Belarus (MIA) thousands of origami cranes which had been prepared by the international human rights organization Amnesty International for liberation of the political prisoner Zmitser Dashkevich.
