09.11.2009 Navahrudak: detentions on suspicion in flinging paint on Lenin monument

In the morning on 7 November the monument to Lenin in Navahrudak was flung with green paint. Not far from the monument the police detained Daryia Bakhur and Yury Kazak, activists of the organizing committee of the Belarusian Christian Party in Navahrudak.

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’.

06.11.2009 Hunger-striker Bandarenka placed to prison hospital

The businessman Andrei Bandarenka started his hunger-strike on 19 October. He protests against the verdict issued by the Pershamaiski district court of Minsk.

03.11.2009 Vitsebsk: new arrests for white-red-white flags

On 2 November in Vitsebsk activists of democratic forces walked through the town with Belarusian national flags.

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.

03.11.2009 Activists of BPF Youth detained in Vitsebsk

At about 3 p.m. on 1 November the police detained the activist of the BPF Youth Siarzhuk Zviozdachkin and the head of Vitsebsk oblast organization Aliaksander Kuzniatsou, both of whom were heading for Minsk.

30.10.2009 Svetlahorsk opposition activist fined

On 29 October Judge Vital Vashchylin of Svetlahorsk District Court fined Sviatlana Mikhalchanka, local Belarusian Party of Communists leader, BYR 1,225,000 for illegal distribution of the party’s newsletter ‘Left March’ at the Lausan plant entrance on 3 September. The verdict was based on inconsistent evidence by police captain Andrei Sauchanka and a number of the plant’s officials.

30.10.2009 Opposition demands Yarmoshyna’s resignation

A new composition of the central Election Commission should prepare for the local elections in Belarus.

Leader of the United Civil Party Anatol Lyabedzka told this at a press conference in Minsk, BelaPAN reports.

“The UCP Political Council says the Central Election Commission should resign because its decisions and actions have undermined confidence of electorate and international organizations in the institutions of elections. So, the UCP suggests forming a new composition of the CEC on a pluralistic basis,” Anatol Lyabedzka said.

26.10.2009 Young Front activist Ilyin to appeal illegal arrest

Mikhail Ilyin, member of the Young Front Brest office, has lodged a complaint with the General Prosecutor’s Office against his arrest in August 2009. According to human rights activist Raman Kisliak, on 17 August Mikhail Ilyin, together with local For Freedom coordinator Dzianis Turchaniak, held a flash-mob action in downtown Brest. The activists were approached by tow persons in plain clothes and as a result they were arrested. They were taken to Brest Leninski police department and charged with ‘disorderly conduct’. On 25 August Brest Leninski Court found Mikhail Ilyin guilty and fined him BYR 140,000. In his complaint, the activist states that the fact of his arrest, as well as the use of force violate his right to freedom and personal immunity, guaranteed by Article 9 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

23.10.2009 “Young front” activists beaten for Belarusian language

On October 22 in Barysau known persons beat Young Front members Maxim Akhrymenka and Yury Bahdanovich during collection of signatures in support of the Belarusian language.

“We collected signatures among passers-by together, when four unknown people in plainclothes came near us,” Maxim Akhrymenka said to mfront.net website. “They asked whether we are Young Front members, and when we said yes, they started to beat us”.

As said by the young activist, when police patrol saw the fight, policemen turned around and went the other way. Then people in plainclothes disappeared.

23.10.2009 Opposition activist beaten by police

Zmitser Kuchun, member of the Belarusian Social Democratic Party (Hramada), has been beaten by the police, Radio Racyja reports. Representatives of Masty district police department charged the activist with disobedience of orders and disorderly conduct. However, Masty Regional Court redirected the case to the local prosecutor’s office to verify the legality of the actions by the police, which Mr. Kuchun calls ‘gangsterism’: ‘I was hit several times at the head from aback, then four policemen knocked me down and started kicking me with their feet. I would not call those persons policemen – in my opinion, they are simply gangsters’, says Zmitser Kuchun. The beating of the activist was witnessed by his wife.

23.10.2009 Former Parliament deputy candidate goes on hunger-strike

According to the United Civil Party’s pres-service, Andrei Bandarenka, who was running for the Parliament in 2008, who is now serving a 7-year term for an economic crime, has embarked on a hunger-strike as a protest against the groundless sentence. ‘Mr. Bandarenka has chosen for himself this kind of protest. For my own part, I and a colleague of mine are using procedure means – drawing up a number of complaints. As for Andrei, all he can do is express his protest in this way’, says Mr. Bandarenka’s lawyer Zmitser Layeuski.

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.

16.10.2009 Young leader Maxim Vinyarski sentenced to 2 days of arrest

An activist of the civil campaign “European Belarus” handed out leaflets with information abut political prisoners.

The activist was detained on October 15 near “Maladzyovaya” metro station. From the police department of the metro he was taken to the court of Frunzenski district. The oppositionist was found guilty of violation of the Article 23.34 of the Administrative Code – violation of the order of holding mass events, and sentenced to two days of administrative arrest.