22.07.2009 Christian democrats rejected registration completely

The Supreme Court dismissed a complaint of founder of the Belarusian Christian Democracy party and agreed with the position of the Ministry of Justice.

The party members go to law to cancel the decision of the ministry, which refused to register the BCD party, radio Svaboda reports.

The BCD representatives told the court the decision of the Ministry of Justice was political motivated. The BCD activists, fired for their political views, had a ward at the trial. Judge of the Supreme Court Valery Samalyuk heard the witnesses, who had given their signatures for BCD registration. The witnesses told about the threats from administration and KGB officers. But the Supreme Court took the side of the Ministry of Justice on July 23.

20.07.2009 Regional publishers form association

A newly-created Association of Regional Press Publishers ‘United Mass Media’ was officially registered by Brest Regional Executive Committee on 15 July. ‘We can and should unite. Regional publishers have never competed on the national information level,’ said Uladzimir Yanukevich, head of the Intex-Press publishing house and chair of the Association. ‘United Mass Media’ is an association of over 10 independent regional newspapers and was created as an open membership NGO.

16.07.2009 Activist fined by tax inspection

For Freedom member Mikita Krasnou has been fined BYR 210,000 for failure to appear at tax inspection and is threatened with more severe punishment for organizing ‘educational clubs.’ The tax inspection is sure the training could not be carried out free of charge. They suspect Mikita Krasnou of failing to declare the income he could have received for it. As a result, the activist is facing several million worth fine.

13.07.2009 Representative of Belarusian Christian Democracy not allowed to familiarize with pretensions of the Ministry of Justice

The responsible secretary of the organizing committee of the Belarusian Christian Democracy Party Dzianis Sadouski paid a visit to the Supreme Court to familiarize with the documents where the pretensions of the Ministry of Justice because of which the BCD was not registered, were stated.

10.07.2009 Detentions for banners in support of political prisoners

On 8 July the administrative commission of Frunzenski district of Minsk considered a report drawn up against the activist of the civil campaign European Belarus Ryhor Laurouski.

02.07.2009 Supreme Court reaffirms decision to deny registration to Young Democrats

The Supreme Court of Belarus has reaffirmed the decision by the Ministry of Justice to disallow registration to the Young Democrats political party due to a number of misspellings in the body of the application. The founders of the party are sure the decision is groundless, since the few insignificant flaws could have been easily corrected upon the request of the Ministry of Justice. In their reply to the application, the registration officials have also stressed that the organization's name does not correspond to its Charter. The Supreme Court did not take this into consideration, but suported the stance of the Ministry in general.

30.06.2009 Alexander Milinkevich applies Homel oblast court and prosecutor’s office

The leader of the For Freedom movement Alexander Milinkevich has addressed the head of Homel oblast court Liudmila Mikhalkova and the prosecutor of Homel oblast Valiantsin Shayeu. In his address he states that the founder of human rights educational association For Freedom Uladzimir Katsora has been several times sentenced to administrative arrest for far-fetched reasons.

29.06.2009 Informational campaign against political persecution of democratic activists

Representatives of 17 youth organizations launch an informational campaign against the political persecution of democratic activists.

25.06.2009 Educational NGO Spadchyna denied registration

The central department of justice of Hrodna regional executive committee has denied registration to the Spadchyna culture and educational public association from the town of Biarozauka. According to head of the department Aliaksandr Siankevich, Spadchyna’s application does not comply with the existing legislation. Members of the NGO say that after consulting lawyers they may appeal the decision in court.

25.06.2009 Opposition activist Uladzimir Katsora went on dry hunger strike in prison

On June 25, the judge of the Tsentralny district court of Homel found guilty five participants of a peaceful action of solidarity with kidnapped general Yury Zakharanka.

Opposition activists Pyotr Kuznyatsou, Vasiky Palyakou, Anatol Paplauny and a namesake of kidnapped former interior minister Yury Zakharanka were fined 700,000 Belarusian rubles, Radio Svaboda reports.

Uladzimir Katsora, regional coordinator of the “For Freedom” movement was arrested for three days. Protesting, the politician declared a dry hunger strike in the courtroom.

24.06.2009 PACE calls on Belarus to register Nasha Viasna

Resolution 1671 (2009)1 Parliamentary Assembly Assemblee parlementaire

23.06.2009 Viasna’s Brest office to strive for registration in court

On 22 June the founders of the Berastseyskaya Viasna human rights NGO lodged a complaint with Brest regional court against the decision by the city authorities of 4 June to deny registration to the organization. The main reason for the decision was the withdrawal of a letter of guarantee for the allocation of a legal address by its owner. In reality, the proprietor of the premises was threatened by the city authorities.

19.06.2009 Right-wing Alliance registered

Minsk Tsentralny Executive Committee has granted state registration to the Right-wing Alliance as a non-profit information organization, says the NGO’s leader Yury Karetnikau. Their objectives include promoting political concepts and national ideas, non-profit publishing and tourist activities, as well as the propaganda of healthy life-style. ‘We are going to do what we have been doing before, but at the legal level. We also intend to open local offices in 25 Belarusian cities and towns,’ said Mr.Karetnikau. In 2004 Yury Karetnikau together with his associates tried to register Right-wing Alliance as a non-government organization. However, the authorities refused to do so, Mr.Karetnikau himself having been fired by his employer.

18.06.2009 Andżelika Borys’ associates not allowed to take part in Union of Poles’ congress

Some 100 members of the Union of Poles in Belarus, with Andżelika Borys at head, were not allowed to take part in the congress of the national minority organization on 12 June in Hrodna. As a result, the activists addressed President Lukashenka with a demand to facilitate the dialogue between the authorities and the Union, which is not recognized by the regime.

16.06.2009 Nasha Viasna to appeal decision by Ministry of Justice

On 16 January the co-founders of the Nasha Viasna human right association Ales Bialiatski, Valiantsin Stefanovich and Uladzimir Labkovich have lodged a complaint with the Supreme Court of Belarus against the decision by the Ministry of Justice to deny registration to the NGO. The complaint stresses that the decision was not legal; the arguments of the Ministry were discriminatory – they violate the rights and the legitimate interests of Nasha Viasna’s founders.