10.11.2008 Hrodna oblast: police continue harassment of Anatol Valiuk

Anatol Valiuk, political activist and head of the Belarusian Popular Front party of Svislach town (the Hrodna oblast), is persecuted by local police.

10.11.2008 Polatsk: youth activists to stand trial for anti-communist action

Reports were drawn up against Polatsk youth activists for they unfurled a national white-red-white flag and an orange flag of the initiative Young Belarus in the city center.

10.11.2008 Saliahorsk: human rights activist Yana Paliakova is guarded to court by police

On 10 November in Salihorsk, a police officer came up to Yana Palyakova and ordered to follow him to the court.

10.11.2008 Kletsk: police intimidate civil activist Yauhen Mikulich

An activist of For Freedom movement Yauhen Mikulich from Klyotsk has addressed the procuracy with the request to defend his family from threats and illegal actions by local policemen.

06.11.2008 Mahiliou: 18-year-old activist is expelled from last year of lyceum

18-year-old activist Stanislau Senakosau has been expelled from Mahiliou professional lyceum #2. According to him, it was revenge for his political activities, while the administration of the lyceum states that the reason is a rude violation of discipline.

06.11.2008 Ales Bialiatski: ‘Belarusian authorities harass human rights activists for their firm and unwavering position’

On 3-4 November in Strasbourg a conference ‘Situation of human rights activists in Council of Europe countries’ organized by the Commissioner on Human Rights of the Council of Europe’s office.

05.11.2008 Babruisk: court fines Ales Chyhir twice

On 4 November Babruisk town court sentenced Ales Chyhir to pay 900 000 rubles for repairing the car which he had already damaged during an argument with a taxi driver. However, the judge turned down the driver’s lawsuit for compensation of moral damages.

05.11.2008 Procuracy demands explanations from entrepreneurs

On 4 November the leader of the association For Free Development of Business Viktar Harbachou was summoned to the procuracy of Barysau and Barysau region.

03.11.2008 Expelled pupil Ivan Shyla is not rehabilitated at school

The judge Volha Prakapovich turned down the suit of Ivan’s father Uladzimir Shyla for finding the expulsion of his son from Salihorsk secondary school #4 illegal.

31.10.2008 Underage activist intimidated by distrainment

Recently an underage activist of Lida branch of the Young Front Raman Tunkel was visited by officers of the court. They threatened to his parents to distrain property.

They promise to do so for non-payment of the fine on the administrative case, the website of the Young Front informs.

As we have informed, in July the 17-year-old Raman Tunkel was detained when he was making graffiti “There is no stopping to Young Front!” An administrative report was drawn up against the activist on charges relating Article 10.9 “intentional destruction or voluntary waste of property”. The court sentenced the young man to 30 basic units of fine (1,050,000 Br), and additional 260,000 Br for repainting of the building.

15.10.2008 Krow: ‘Black lists have just changed their color’

Rapper Krow from Chyrvonym pa Bielamu band states that black lists have not disappeared, they… have just changed their color. ‘There are no blacklists any more, there are brown ones instead. Only some chosen persons, who have ‘repented’ have been crossed out from the lists that existed earlier,’ concluded the singer after sending his recordings to one of Belarusian radio stations.

06.10.2008 Authorities extend ‘black lists’

Some activists of the democratic movement have faced with foreign travel restrictions and the surnames of some more have been introduced into the lists for being searched on the border. The persons to whom such measures are applied cannot receive an answer about the reasons.

01.10.2008 Alexander Chyhir starts serving arrest

On 1 October a public activist from Babruisk Ales Chyhir starts serving his 10-days’ arrest. He has been sentenced to this punishment within the frames of a criminal case that had been brought against him after an incident with a taxi driver. On 29 May the driver was driving Alexander, his wife and daughter home. The driver refused to issue a receipt to Chyhir and drove the passenger to the police station instead. There Mr. Chyhir was charged with threats to the driver, damage of the car and insubordination to the police. Though beaten by the police, Chyhir was found guilty and sentenced to ten days of jail. Despite the fact that the case was considered in summer, the politician is imprisoned only now.

15.09.2008 KGB ‘checks’ workers of Institute of History

In the second half of August and in the beginning of September KGB officers held a ‘voluntary’ questioning of workers of the Institute of History of the Academy of Sciences of Belarus in connection with the 4 July explosion in Minsk. The ‘questioning’ was conducted in the working time. The KGB workers occupied the scientists’ offices and working places for it. Those who refused to participate in these measures are threatened with dismissal.

15.09.2008 Human rights center

A document entitled ‘Decision for provision of civil security and road safety in Brest oblast during preparation and holding of the elections of deputies to the Chamber of Representatives of the National Assembly of the fourth convocation’, signed by the head of the head of the internal affairs department of Brest oblast executive committee, lieutenant-colonel V.Krasnichenka, and agreed with the head of Brest oblast KGB department L.Dziadkou and the procurator of Brest oblast, senior justice advisor S.Khmaruk.