News on the topic: political persecution
05.05.2011 Criminal persecution of participants of 19 December protest action: trial of Dzmitryieu, Fiaduta, Niakliayeu, Palazhanka, Rymasheuski and Vazniak has started
The trial of the criminal cases against Andrei Dzmitryieu, Aliaksandr Fiaduta, Uladzimir Niakliayeu, Anastasia Palazhanka, Vital Rymasheuski and Siarhei Vazniak has started today at the Frunzenski District Court of Minsk. All of them are charged with the organization and preparation of actions that grossly violate the public order, or active participation them (Article 342 of the Criminal Code, part 1), which envisages up to 3 years of imprisonment.
06.04.2011 Russian citizen Artyom Breus is being squeezed out of Belarus
Artyom Breus is a son of a TV-host Yury Breus, who was famous in the past. Artyom was born in Minsk. He spent his childhood in Estonia, and returned to his homeland with the status of a Russian citizen. He was allowed to register in Belarus as a foreign citizen for a month first, and then the registration might have been renewed. However, after his conviction for the participation in the 19 December rally, the state made him realize that it did not need potential citizens like him.
04.04.2011 Viktar Kantsavenka asks for political asylum in Poland
Resident of Rechytsa Viktar Kantsavenka, an activist of the electoral team of Mikalai Statkevich during the 2010 presidential election, has filed documents for receiving political asylum in Poland.
25.03.2011 Freedom Day: mass preventive repressions underway (updated)
Dozens political, civil and trade union activists, as well as a number of journalists, have been detained today across Belarus ahead of the Freedom Day celebrations scheduled for 6 p.m., independent media report (www.nn.by, www.svaboda.org, www.vialejka.org, www.euroradio.by, www.zapraudu.info, www.new.racyja.com etc.).
25.03.2011 Mop-up operation
Attempts to arrest opposition activists preventively started since early morning.
16.03.2011 Ales Mіhalevіch sends audio message
The deputy head of the movement “For Freedom” Yuras Hubarevich is sure that Ales Mihalevich is safe and sound in a safe place.
15.03.2011 Mikita Likhavid to be tried on 22 March
The first court sitting on the criminal case against Mikita Likhavid (one of the accused of participation in the 19 December “mass riot”, Article 293, part 2 of the Criminal Code) will take place at 10 a.m. on 22 March.
14.03.2011 Police witnesses lie, judge trusts them
Journalists have found out that during the trials over the participants of 19 December events the key witnesses secrete their real personal details.
14.03.2011 Analytical review of the court proceedings on the criminal case of the citizens of the Russian Federation Artyom Breus and Ivan Gaponov. The last day.
On 10 March the trial of the criminal case of the Russian citizens Artyom Breus and Ivan Gaponov, charged with participation in the ‘mass riot’ on 19 December 2010, continued at the Maskouski District Court of Minsk with participation of Judge Liubou Siamakhina, prosecutor Siarhei Kunas and lawyers Alena Kazak and Liudmila Siarheyeva.
11.03.2011 Maskouski District Court of Minsk: Russian citizens Breus and Gaponov fined 10.5 mln rubles each
On 10 March the trial of the criminal case of the Russian citizens Artsiom Breus and Ivan Gaponov, charged with participation in the ‘mass riot’ on 19 December 2010, continued at the Maskouski District Court of Minsk with participation of Judge Liubou Siamakhina and prosecutor Siarhei Kunas.
11.03.2011 Young Front activists Lobau and Dashkevich to be tried on 21 March
The trial of Dzmitry Dashkevich, Chair of the Young Front, and Eduard Lobau, his deputy, will take place on 21 March at the Maskouski District Court. They are charged with especially malignant hooliganism (Article 339, part 3 of the Criminal Code). The case will be considered by Judge Alena Shylko.
10.03.2011 Court refuses to reinstate teacher Natallia Illinich at work
Sviatlana Akulich, Judge of the Pukhavichy District Court, agreed that the dismissal of a teacher of history Natalia Ilyinich was lawful.
04.03.2011 Dzmitry Bandarenka interrogated at KGB for first time in two months
Since 29 December, the lawyer has been denied meetings with his defendant, Andrei Sannikou’s affiliate Dzmitry Bandarenka.
14.02.2011 Sleep deprivation torture in Valadarski Street jail
Cell #69 houses 13 persons, whereas usually 22-24 inmates are kept there at once. As a result, they have to sleep in turn. However, the people who get in the cell aren't included in the 'sleeping queue' for the first two days.
14.02.2011 Endless interrogations
On 14 February an investigator of the military counter-intelligence phoned to a human rights activist Nasta Loika. He refused to introduce himself and said that he could show his ID during their meeting. He tried to invite her for a 'talk'. However, Nasta answered that she refused to come to him without receiving an official writ. After this the investigator tried to specify her address, she asked that the investigation had all possibilities to find it on their own. After this the counter-intelligence officer promised to soon her a writ soon.
