17.02.2010 Members of Union of Poles are detained again

The continuation of the trial on confiscation of the Polish House in the town of Ivianets was scheduled for 2.30 p.m. on 17 February in the Valozhyn district court. The trial is initiated by the authorities and is aimed at passing the Polish House to the pro-regime Union of Poles, governed by businessman Stanislau Siamashka.

16.02.2010 Assembly of Pro-democratic NGOs voices support to the Polish minority

The leadership of the Assembly of NGOs issued an official statement to condemn the unlawful actions of the Belarusian authorities towards members of the Union of Poles in Belarus not recognized by them.

15.02.2010 Absurd trial of Tereza Sobal, Chairperson of Ivianets organization of Union of Poles

A preliminary sitting on the lawsuit of the pro-regime Union of Poles of Belarus headed by Stanislau Siamasha against Teresa Sobal, Chairperson of the Ivianets branch of the Union of Poles that is not recognized by the Belarusian authorities. Teresa also headed the Polish House in Ivianets before it was sealed by court marshals. The defendant entered motions for summoning witnesses and composing an additional inventory of property in the Polish House.

15.02.2010 Detentions and trials of members of disgraced Union of Poles

In Hrodna, the police detained Ihar Banatsar, press secretary of the Union of Poles in Belarus. Mechyslau Yaskevich and Andrei Pachobut, UPB members, were detained on the way to Minsk.

12.02.2010 Materials from Belarusian NPOs prepared for the Universal Periodic Review of Belarus in the U.N. Committee on Human Rights. October 2009

This compilation of materials was prepared in August-September 2009 by a group of NGOs for conveyance to the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in conjunction with the preparation of the Universal Periodic Review of the Republic of Belarus' fulfillment of its international human rights obligations. These materials contain references to more detailed reports and publications. The following organizations participated in the preparation of these materials: International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), Belarusian Helsinki Committee (BHC), Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAJ), “Viasna” Human Rights Center, Assembly of Democratic Non-Governmental Organizations of Belarus and Congress of Independent Unions (Belarus).

11.02.2010 Hrodna: members of the disgraced Union of Poles are summoned for interrogations

On 11 February the police paid a visit to the Polonika, the Hrodna firm headed by Anzhalika Borys, Chairperson of the Union of Poles in Belarus in disgrace, to serve writs for interrogations to Mrs. Borys, Andrei Pachobut, Mechyslau Yaskevich and Ihar Bantsar.

11.02.2010 Baranavichy: legal existence of Belarusian Language Society is under threat

On 10 February, the Baranavichy Council of the Belarusian Language Society filed with Viktar Dzichkouski, Chairman of the Baranavichy city executive committee, a repeated letter informing that all documents necessary for changing the legal address of the local BLS organization had been presented to the CEC more than a month ago, but no answer was received in the legal terms.

10.02.2010 Hrodna: action of Union of Poles took place under police surveillance

At 1.20 p.m. two police officers and a cameraman came to the Polonika firm. They warned Andrei Pachobut, Chairperson of the Main Council of the Union of Poles in Belarus in disgrace, that activists of the organization were preparing an unauthorized action.

09.02.2010 Constitutional Court reluctant to consider revocation of Article 193-1

In December 2009 Kiryl Atamanchyk, activist of the Young Front youth movement, lodged an address with the Constitutional Court, urging the officials to provide legal assessment of the compliance of Article 193-1 of the Criminal Code with Article 36 of the Belarusian Constitution and Article 22 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

09.02.2010 Militia seized Polish House in Ivyanets

The militia forced activists of the Union of Poles, mainly elderly people, out of the building.

On February 8, militiamen and officers of court burst into the Polish House, owned by the unrecognized by the Belarusian authorities Union of Poles. The website charter97.org learnt this from journalist Andrzej Poczobut, a Union activist.

05.02.2010 Belarusian civil society activists should be invited to Euronest, believes Pro-dem NGO Assembly

The Euronest Parliamentary Assembly should invite representatives of both Belarusian political parties and the civil society, says the Assembly of Belarusian Pro-Democratic NGOs. The composition of the Belarusian delegation is currently under consideration. However, due to the absence of a legitimate Parliament in the country, any Belarusian delegation will be unofficial.

03.02.2010 Scandal: How opposition activists expelled from universities

Professors of the Belarusian National technical University were forced to low grades to an opposition activist to expel him from university.

22.01.2010 Poland’s Embassy concerned over detention of Union of Poles activists

The Embassy of Poland in Minsk expresses its concern over the mass detention of activists of the unofficial Union of Poles in Belarus.

“The Embassy is concerned over the situation with the unofficial Union of Poles in Belarus and escalation of the conflict, initiated by the authorized Union of Poles led by Iosif Luchnik. All arrangements on status quo of the organization are in question now,” BelaPAN quotes the statement of the Polish diplomatic mission in Minsk.

21.01.2010 Mass arrests of activists of Union of Poles in Belarus

The people coming to support Tereza Sobal, the head of the Polish House in Ivyanets, and not to allow the authorities to take away the building are being detained and arrested.

The website charter97.org learnt from Andrzej Poczobut, a famous journalist, activist of the Union of Poles in Belarus, unrecognized by the authorities. According to him, more than 100 activists of the Union of Poles are going to visit Ivyanets (the Minsk region) today. Road traffic police began to stop their cars, check IDs and search vehicles.

21.01.2010 Gazeta Wyborcza’s journalist Andrzej Poczobut receives threats

Andrzej Poczobut, a famous journalist, activist of the Union of Poles in Belarus, unrecognized by the Belarusian authorities, received a telephone call from an unknown man on January20.

As Radio Racyja reports, the man threatened Andrzej Poczobut and his family if he didn’t stop his public activity and leave the Polish House in Ivyanets.