05.07.2011 Minsk: trials of participants of 3 July silent revolution

Over 160 people were detained during the silent protest actions in Minsk on 3 July, the official “Independence Day”. The trials of some of them have taken place already, while there is still no information about the fate of the rest. All defendants are charged under Article 17.1, “disorderly conduct”.

05.07.2011 Brest: ten more participants of 29 June silent protest get fined

On 4 July the Leninski District Court of Brest sentenced to fines ten more participants of the silent protest action held in Brest on 29 June. All of them were charged under Article 23.34 of the Code of Administrative Offenses, “participation in unauthorized mass event”.

05.07.2011 Trials in Belarusian provinces (updated)

Brest According to human rights defender Raman Kisliak, the civil activist Aliaksandr Charkashyn awaits trial. Artur Anisimau was sentenced to 6 days of arrest, Ivan Stasiuk – to 10 days of arrest. All defendants are charged under Article 17.1, “disorderly conduct”.

04.07.2011 Forced dispersals of peaceful assemblies by the police are a gross violation of human rights

Statement by the Human Rights Center Viasna

At the time of the peaceful assemblies in Minsk and other Belarusian cities on 22, 29 June 29 and 3 July officers of the Ministry of Interior used physical violence and police gear against peaceful protesters. Mass detentions were conducted: occasional passers-by were detained together with protesters. As a result, hundreds of citizens were drawn to administrative responsibility (including arrest) on false charges of disorderly conduct, the use foul language in public places. The Human Rights Centre Viasna registered numerous cases of illegal use of physical force against detainees, facts of the lawless interference with professional activities of journalists on the part of law-enforcement officers and cases of detention of human rights defenders who monitored the aforementioned events.

04.07.2011 Homel: sentences to participants of silent revolution

On 4 July Alena Tsalkova, Judge of the Tsentralny District Court of Homel, tried the people who had taken part in the silent action of protest on 3 July.

04.07.2011 Belarus: chronicle of silent revolution (updated)

According to human rights defenders, about 310 people were detained in different parts of Belarus on 3 July, 160 of them – in Minsk alone. 5 people were detained in Baranavichy, about 30 – in Homel, about 80 – in Hrodna, 15 – in Mahiliou, 6 – in Smaliavichy, 7 – in Vitsebsk, 2 – in Zhlobin.

04.07.2011 Mahiliou: intimidation and arrests

Unidentified persons threatened opposition activists and journalists with “responsibility” for participation in the silent action of protest Revolution Through Social Networks.

01.07.2011 Trials of participants of silent protest actions in different parts of Belarus

Some of the detained participants of the silent protest action held on 29 June in Minsk have been given charges and are being tried.

01.07.2011 Brest: trials of participants of 29 June silent protest action

On 30 June Vasiliuk, a judge of the Leninski District Court of Brest, considered the cases against 8 participants of the protest action of 29 June.

01.07.2011 About 130 participants of silent protest actions were given charges

The police state that participants of the silent protest action “loudly cried out obscenities addressed to the police”. According to the police the action in Minsk gathered about 350 people, whereas human rights defenders believe there were about 1,5 thousand people. 269 people were guarded to police stations all over Belarus. 130 of them were charged with disorderly conduct, insubordination to the police or participation in the unauthorized protests.

24.06.2011 Organizers of «silent» protest campaign urge Lukashenka to sack interior minister after crackdown

The organizers of an online campaign called "Revolution through Social Networks" have urged Alyaksandr Lukashenka to sack Interior Minister Anatol Kulyashow after the police's unprovoked crackdown on a peaceful protest in Minsk on June 22, BelaPAN said.

14.06.2011 Baranavichy: district executive committee authorized one of three pickets

The Baranavichy District Executive Committee allowed the local social democrats to hold a picket against the pauperization of the population. The pickets near the Viasiolkasupermarket and near the town fountain weren’t authorized, but the picket in the old park (from the side of Kamsamolskaya Street) which they intend to hold on 1-2 p.m. was permitted.

14.06.2011 Vitsebsk and Haradok: civil activists are banned to hold pickets for resignation of the government

The district authorities explained their refusals to authorize the actions by saying that neither the site near the Summer Amphitheatre in Vitebsk, nor the central square in Haradok were included in the list of areas identified for public events. However, civil activists don’t see any sense in holding such actions in the unfrequented places that were determined for such actions by the authorities.

14.06.2011 Eyewitness tells about beating of participants of protest action at the border crossing point Bruzgi

An eyewitness said that policemen threw the protesters into the paddy wagon and continued to beat them there. The interlocutor of RFE/RL saw at least 10 beaten persons. He said that there were about one hundred of participants in the protest.

14.06.2011 Hrodna: participants of protest action at Bruzgi sentenced to huge fines

According to information from the Hrodna Region Court, about 15 cases were considered on 14 June. The exact number of cases and amounts of fines is still unknown. Participants of the protest rally against the unlawful customs fee, held at the border crossing point Bruzgi on 12 June, were fined 2,450,000-2,625,000 rubles.