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.

18.02.2008 Criminal Case against Aliaksei Sarnou Passed to Court

Hrodna police has passed to court a criminal case against Aliaksei Sarnou, who in the night of 17 December had made graffiti on the walls of two houses. That’s how he expressed his protest against the liquidation of social guarantees by the Belarusian authorities.

18.02.2008 Aliaksandr Milinkevich Detained and Interrogated

On 18 February the leader of the For Freedom! movement Aliaksandr Milinkevich was detained in Minsk. As the Charter’97 press-center was told by his wife, Ina Kulei, who was near him at the moment of detention, everything happened rather quickly and unexpectedly.

14.02.2008 Zhodzina: Aliaksandr Kruty Still Illegally Kept in Pre-trial Prison

Aliaksandr Kruty has been released from punishment by court three weeks ago. However, he is still kept at the pre-trial prison in Zhodzina. He is kept alone in a cell for live-sentence convicts.

09.02.2008 Press Conference of Belarusian Prisoners’ Relatives

Recently a group of relatives of the prisoners who received unfair sentences has held a press conference.

07.02.2008 Aliaksei Shydlouski Asks Political Asylum in Czech

A former political prisoner, opposition activist Aliaksei Shydlouski has asked for political asylum in Czech. The reason is that he faces 10 years of jail because of a criminal case under part 3 of article 339 of the Criminal Code (hooliganism) has been brought against him recently.

07.02.2008 Polatsk: Search in Young Front Activist’s Apartment

Agents of Polatsk KGB office are searching the apartment of a Young Front activist Katsiaryna Salauyova. The search takes place within the frames of the criminal case that was brought against her for ‘participation in underground organization’ (article 193.1 of the Criminal Code).

05.02.2008 Pressurization of Young Front Activist Alena Makarevich Continues

A week ago the activist of Minsk Young Front branch Alena Makarevich was summonsed to KGB. There she was proposed to stop her public and political activities and threatened with a criminal case otherwise.

05.02.2008 Ales Bialiatski: ‘One can speak of normalization of relations between the authorities and their political opponents only after the release of all political prisoners!’

On 5 February the college board of Mahiliou oblast court considered the cassation complaint on a criminal case against Artur Finkevich and reversed the verdict of Kastrychnitski district court of Mahiliou, according to which Finkevich was to have serve 1,5 years of jail for ‘evasion from serving his corrective labor term’.

05.02.2008 Political Prisoner Artur Finkevich Released from Custody

Hearing of the cassation appeal on the criminal case against Artur Finkevich, political prisoner and one of the Young Front leaders, has taken place today in the has reversed the judgement of the court of Kastrychnitski district of Mahiliou on 1.5-year imprisonment.

05.02.2008 Belarusian PEN-center Demands Reconsideration of Zdvizhkou’s Case and His Release

The deputy-editor of the Belarusian non-state newspaper Zgoda Aliaksandr Zdvizhkou has been sentenced to three years of high security prison for having reprinted Danish cartoons of the prophet Muhammad, which was qualified as violation of article 130, part 2 of the Criminal Code, ‘fomentation of religious enmity’.

01.02.2008 Andrei Kim Faces Six Years of Jail

An activist of the youth campaign Initiative Andre Kim is charged under article 364 ‘Violent actions against a policeman’.

31.01.2008 Andrei Kim remains behind bars

Today, after having served the term of administrative arrest, youth activist Andrei Kim was taken to Centralny prosecutor’s office of Minsk. Criminal charges are pressed against him. Investigator Luhin refused to provide any information to the activist’s mother. The only thing we know is that the activist will be kept in jail during the investigation of the case.

31.01.2008 Exonerated Aliaksandar Kruty groundlessly kept in jail

On January 24th, Niasvizh court found Aliaksandar Kruty guilty of public insult of the president (Article 368 of the Criminal Code). However, in conjunction with the fact that the actions of the convict did not bear a big threat to the society, Aliaksandar Kruty was exonerated from punishment, and the criminal case was stopped. During the investigation a forensic medical examination was carried out. It showed, Aliaksandar Kruty was sick with paranoid schizophrenia. The court ruled to apply compulsory measures of care in a mental hospital with ordinary care.

30.01.2008 Aliaksandar Zdzvizhkou appealed against verdict

Former deputy chief editor of Zhoda newspaper Aliaksandar Zdzvizhkou appealed against the sentence to 3 years of imprisonment for publishing Mohammed cartoons.

Journalist’s lawyer Maya Aliaksandrava says they have appealed against the verdict. “We do not agree with the verdict and ask to cancel it. I cannot give you more details, because the trial was closed for public”, -- the lawyer told RFE/RL. According to Aliaksandrava, the Supreme Court will consider the appeal in late February.