04.12.2009 ‘Young Front’ press-secretary got expelled from Belarusian State University

On 3 December 3 the Young Front press-secretary Tatsiana Shaputska was expelled from the faculty of law of the Belarusian State University for her participation in the Civil Society Forum of Eastern Partnership in Brussels on 16-17 November.

04.12.2009 Activist of Belarusian Christian Democracy dismissed from job

Recently a press-conference of co-chairmen of the organising committee for creation of the Belarusian Christian Democratic Party (BCD) Aliaksei Shein, Vital Rymasheuski and Heorhi Dzmitruk has taken place held. They stated that crackdown on founders of the party had become unprecedented and systematic, BelaPAN informs.

03.12.2009 Arrests for anti-Lukashenka performances

The young activists Pavel Prakapovich and Yahor Babrou were sentenced to 15 days of arrest, and Andrei Kuzminski to 7 days.

02.12.2009 Young Belarus activists detained in Minsk

Four Young Belarus activists – Yahor Babrou, Andrei Kuzminski, Nastassia Mashchava and Pavel Prakapovich – have been arrested in Minsk today as they were holding an unauthorized rally, the organization’s press-service reports. The activist are currently at a local police department.

27.11.2009 Belarusian Popular Front activist beaten dead by iron bars by unknown

On November 26 in the hospital in Maryina Horka a democratic activist Valyantsin Dounar died.

As “Nasha Niva” was informed by Ales Vaskovich, a fellow party member of perished, on November 20 at about 10 p.m. unknown attacked Valyantsin Dounar in the street and started beating him on the head with iron rods. Later 49-year-old activist was taken to intensive care, but health professionals failed to rescue him.

25.11.2009 Aleh Hulak: ‘The death penalty is a humiliation of people, the right, the present’

Aleh Hulak, head of the Belarusian Helsinki Committee, has joined the campaign against the death penalty in Belarus. ‘I believe that Belarus must abolish the death penalty. It is savage to allow the state to murder a human being in the XXI century.

20.11.2009 BHC joins ENEMO

The Belarusian Helsinki Committee has become member of the ENEMO European Network of Election Monitoring Organizations. ENEMO is an association of civil NGOs from 16 Balkan, USSR and SEE countries. These NGOs are the leading organizations in their countries within Election monitoring area. All together, they have monitored over 110 national and international elections and trained over 100,000 observers. BHC is the second Belarusian NGO, after the Human Rights Center Viasna, to join the network.

19.11.2009 Founders of BCD party threatened by dismissals and deprivation of dwelling

Organizers of the Belarusian Christian Democracy party have stated about mass pressure on activists of the Belarusian Christian Democracy party with a demand to withdraw their signatures under the founding document for party creation.

The BelaPAN has been informed about that by one of the co-chairmen of the party Vital Rymasheuski.

19.11.2009 Young Front activists says his arrest was illegal

Yuras Kazak, member of Young Front’s Navahradak office, charged with ‘disorderly conduct’ under Article 339-1 of the Civil Code, has issued a statement, calling the case an outrage against the law. ‘Firstly, how can one disturb public order and express disrespect of society at 3 a.m.? Secondly, there are Lenin idols all over the country, and they abuse Christianity. It is not ‘an exceptional cynicism’, which is what I am charged with, but protection of Christian values and principles, which should become the basis of our country, its policy and power,’ says the activist.

18.11.2009 ‘Right not to Shoot’ campaign launched

According to the UCPB’ press-service, as part of the ‘Right not to Shoot’ civil campaign, a number of Young Democrats activists, including Fiodar Maslennikau, Aliaksandr Siarheyenka and Aliaksandr Stsepanenka, distributed leaflets among students of Minsk universities, covering the issue of the alternative service and its future in Belarus. According to a preliminary public opinion poll, 56% of Minsk students have never heard of the type of service and 78% say they would like Belarusian youth to have a right to choose between the traditional and the alternative types of service.

18.11.2009 Homel Regional Court recalls fine to local activist

Judge Vasil Biahun of Homel Regional Court has ruled to reverse a 700,000-rouble fine to Valery Rybchanka, local opposition Communist leader, his civil case being sent for reconsideration at Homel Chyhunachny Court. The activist was fined for mere intent to participate in a memorial picket on 19 October. Mr. Rybchanka claims he was not taking part in the demonstration at the moment he was arrested, since he was taking photos of it.

16.11.2009 Organizing committee of Belarusian Party of Workers sues Ministry of Justice

On 12 November the organizing committee of the Belarusian Party of Workers filed to the Supreme Court a complaint against the registration denial to the Ministry of Justice.

16.11.2009 Kobryn: district court refuses to consider Aliaksandr Mekh’s complaint against unlawful detention

Alaksandr Mekh, the head of the BPF branch in Kobryn, got an answer from the district court over his arrest at the Dazhynki harvest festival.

12.11.2009 Criminal case for spilling paint on monument to Lenin

On 7 November, the Day of October Revolution, which is still a state holiday in Belarus, Lenin monument in Navahradak was smeared with green paint.

11.11.2009 Nasta Palazhanka complained to prosecutor’s office against police actions

the deputy head of Young Front Nasta Palazhanka addressed the Pershamaiski district prosecutor’s office concerning her unlawful detention at the Pershamaiski district police department for six hours and the unlawful confiscation of the informational materials concerning the campaigns held by the organization.