06.03.2008 All Draftees Who Have Surnames Starting with ‘K’ and ‘V’ Are Summonsed to Military Enlistment Office

The authorities continue using a new tactics of pressing youth activists out of the public life – drafting them to army. Recently the activists of the BPF Youth Anton Kalinouski and Franak Viachorka were summonsed to Savetski district military enlistment office in Minsk. Earlier Kalinouski was expelled from the translator’s faculty of Minsk State Linguistic University and Franak Viachorka – from the journalist faculty of Belarusian State University.

06.03.2008 Court Upholds Drafting Zmitser Zhaleznichenka to Army Service

Today judge of Homel City Tsentralny District Court Zhana Andrejchyk hasn’t supported the challenge of the mother of the activist and found Zmitser Zhaleznichenka’s expellation from Homel University legal.

06.03.2008 Trial on Rehabilitation of Z.Zhaleznichenka at University

The first court hearing on claim of youth democratic activist Zmitser Zhaleznichenka against the Frantsysk Skaryna Homel State University was held on 5 March in the court of the Tsentralny district of Homel.

06.03.2008 Mikhail Kryvau: ‘There can be any evidence of my guilt in the fabricated case’

In his interview with the UCP press-service the activist of Young Democrats Mikhail Kryvau said: ‘I consider the criminal accusation for my participation in the meeting on 10 January as a legal boundlessness. Yes, I really participated in this action, but I have never fought with the road police, did not rush under car wheels, did not break anything, did not beat or insult anyone, unlike some riot policemen, who beat and insulted the detained meeting participants in the police busses. I have a clear conscience and can answer for all my actions.

04.03.2008 Three Accused in Criminal Case on 10 January Protest Action of Entrepreneurs

On 4 March the investigative department of the main board of internal affairs of Minsk city executive committee passed to the participants of the entrepreneurs’ action of 10 January Mikhail Kryvau, Mikhail Pashkevich and Uladzimir Siarheyeu the rulings that they were suspects in a criminal case under article 342, part 1 of the Criminal Code – ‘organization or active participation in group actions that grossly violate the public order.’ All suspects had to give written undertakings not to leave Minsk.

04.03.2008 Siarhei Parsiukevich Arrested for Participation in Entrepreneurs’ Rally

Today by the prosecutor of Maskouski district of Minsk ruled to arrest a leader of the movement of individual entrepreneurs, former police major Siarhei Parsiukevich. The activist was called to testify in the case brought up against him.

29.02.2008 Salihorsk entrepreneurs receive big fines

On February 27th the court of Minsk district and Zaslauye considered administrative charges against three family members of Salihorsk entrepreneur Aliaksandr Tsatsura and against Viktar Kryval.

Judge Siarhei Ahafonski recognized them guilty of violating Article 23.4 of the Administrative Code – “Insubordination to the legal demands of a police officer” and imposed the following fines: Aliaksandr Tsatsura – 50 basic units, Tamara Tsatsura – 30 basic units, Ilya Tsatsura – 30 basic units. Viktar Kryval who is serving a 15-days arrest, was also fined 50 basic units, in his absence.

26.02.2008 Navumau’s threat to launch 50 criminal cases against action participants slowly coming true

he human rights center “Viasna” found out, investigation department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs started interrogating suspects on the criminal case under Article 342 of the Criminal Code “organization or active participation in group actions that seriously violate the public order”. The criminal case was instigated after the rally and march of entrepreneurs that took place on January 10th in Minsk. According to our information, 12 people are suspected. Today three of the suspected – Uladzimir Siarheyeu, Ales Straltsou, and Mikhas Kryvau -- were summoned to investigation department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for interrogation.

22.02.2008 Criminal Case against Participants of European March

The peaceful mass action European March took place on 14 October 2007. HRC Viasna learned that on 28 December 2007 the investigations department of Pershamaiski district police department of Minsk brought a criminal case under part 2 of article 339 of the Criminal Code ‘hooligan action, performed by a group of individuals’, because two police cars were allegedly damaged by the action participants.

19.02.2008 Barysau: Private Apartments of Siarhei Salash and His Mother Are Under Arrest

A week ago it became known that the apartment of Siarhei Salash, public activist from Barysau, has been under arrest since November 2006, as well as the apartment that was inherited by his mother after the recent death of husband, Siarhei’s father. This fact was revealed after soon after the death. Barysau branch of Minsk oblast agency on state registration and land cadastre issued excerpt #371:83/08 from the register on the rights and limitations of rights on isolated premises. This excerpt contains the ban on ‘alienation of the premises’ for both apartments, for the term that ‘has not been determined’. The reason for the ban is ‘another document (police department of Maskouski district executive committee of Minsk) of 4 November 2006 #MG/9 OPR)’.

19.02.2008 Zhaleznichenka’s Mother Appeals against His Expulsion from University

On 5 March the court hearings on the suit of Zmitser Zhaleznichenka’s mother against Homel State University will start. On 18 February the judge of the Tsentralny district court of Homel Zhanna Andreichyk listened to the positions of the sides and decided to start the trial after Zmitser receives an answer from the Ministry of Education, to which he had complained against the illegal expulsion.

19.02.2008 Aliaksandr Kruty Can Be Released from Zhodzina Pre-trial Prison Today

The college board on criminal cases of Minsk oblast court has reversed the ruling of Niasvizh district court in the case of Aliaksandr Kruty, who was accused of defamation of the president.

19.02.2008 FIDH and Viasna: Open Letter to Belarusian Authorities on Harassment against Zhaleznichenka

Minsk-Paris, 15 February 2008 – The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the Human Rights Center “Viasna” express their deep concern about the Belarusian authorities’ repeated harassment against the youth activist Dmitry Zheleznichenko.

18.02.2008 Detained Young Front Activists Were Released with No Violation Reports Drawn up

All members of the underground oppositional organization Young Front arrested near Minsk on Saturday were released without charges later that day.

15.02.2008 Court Upholds Zhaleznichenka’s Draft to Army

On 14 February Savetski district court of Homel left in force the decision of the district military enlistment office for drafting a local democratic activist Zmitser Zhaleznichenka to army.