30.06.2009 Ivan Shyla: ‘I was put in a solitary cell 3 x 3 meters’

On 19-26 June the youth activist Ivan Shyla, forcedly drafted into the army, served a seven-day disciplinary arrest in the army unit. He was sentenced to it for using a mobile phone.

30.06.2009 Human rights defenders call on prosecutor general to release Vaukavysk entrepreneurs

Human rights defenders have appealed to the prosecutor general with the request to free three opponents of the government, Mikalai Autukhovich, Yury Liavonau and Uladzimir Asipenka, from custody.

22.06.2009 Activist detained for distributing independent newspaper

On 20 June the police arrested Anatol Yurevich, resident of the village of Pilnia, Slutsk district, for distributing the Narodnaya Volia newspaper, despite its free distribution license. The activist was taken to the local police department and later released. Mr.Yurevich says he is going to lodge a complaint against the policemen with the local prosecutor’s office.

22.06.2009 Belarusian oppositionists arrested for EU symbols

Arrests for EU symbols go on even on the day of Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner visit.

In the evening June 21, activists of the civil campaign “European Belarus” Aleh Ladutska and Uladzimir Kumets were on the intersection of Plekhanov Street and Rokossovsky Avenue.

The guys were pasting posters calling to join the civil campaign “European Belarus”. Their actions were noticed by militiamen, who drove up, got out of the car, and searched the guys. They found some posters with EU symbols on Aleh Ladutska. After that the oppositionists were guarded to the Leninski district militia department of Minsk.

16.06.2009 Two activists detained in Brest

Brest police have arrested two local activists Raman Kisliak and Andrei Sharenda and accused of distributing leaflets. The detainees are currently in Brest Maskouski police department.

17.04.2009 Independent journalist arrested and beaten for taking photos of fire in police department building

Uladzimir Hrydzin, photographer and member of the Belarusian Association of Journalists, was detained as he was taking pictures of a fire in the building of Pershamaiski Police Department in Minsk on 16 April. According to the journalist, shortly after he started taking pictures of the burning building he was approached by a plainclothes person and ordered to stop shooting. Then, several other plainclothes persons twisted his arms and took him to the police department where they confiscated the camera and deleted the photos. After that the photographer was released. Mr.Hrydzin says he is going to lodge a complaint against the arrest with Pershamaiski Prosecutor’s Office to prosecute the offenders.

17.04.2009 Activists of “European Belarus” and “Young Front” arrested in Brest

Five activists of the civil campaign “European Belarus” and six members of the “Young Front” were detained in Brest at the action on Solidarity Day.

The young people came to the central square of Brest with a banner “Freedom to Political prisoners!” and an EU flag. Some minutes later they were detained.

As activist of the civil campaign “European Belarus” Yauhen Skrabets managed to tell on phone, five activists had been guarded to a militia department.

Participants of the action of solidarity with families of the disappeared politicians were also detained in Brest.

15.04.2009 Artist Ales Pushkin detained on Belarusian border

Famous artist Ales Pushkin was detained last night on a train from Warsaw to Minsk.

Ales Pushkin was returning from Warsaw, where he was invited on the invitation of Belsat TV company to. As the train arrived in Brest (about 01.10 a.m.), Belarusian border guards ordered the artist to get off the train. They didn’t explain any reasons. Pushkin had to spend 2.5 hours in the customs control department.

As artist Ales Pushkin told in an interview to the Charter’7 press center, he as detained “for the Belarusian language”.

27.03.2009 Oppositionist arrested for independent press distributing

Militia officers in Hrodna detained Mikola Bausyuk, activist of the Belarusian Christian Democracy, who was distributing information bulletins among city dwellers.

Radio Racyja learnt about Mikola Basyuk’s detention from BCD co-chairman Paval Sevyarynets.

“Mikola Bausyuk was distributing a newspaper of the Belarusian Christian Democracy at the market. Usually in such cases militia detain activists, draw a report and set them free. But Mikola Bausyuk was guarded to the Kastrychnitski district militia department allegedly for a conversation with a chief,” he told.

18.03.2009 Controversial decision by Prosecutor’s Office: every law has a loophole

The politically motivated draft of a number of youth activists brought forth several extremely disputable legal issues, e.g. the arrest of Zmitser Khvedaruk on 28 January, resulting in his imprisonment for participating in the 1 May rally in Minsk. Article 13.6 of the Code of Civil Procedure specifies the terms of the enforcement of administrative sentences – 3 months. Thus, the imprionment of Zmitser Khvedaruk appears to be illegal, since it started over 8 months after the verdict was passed. Considering the above-mentioned fact, Khvedaruk’s lawyer Pavel Sapelka lodged a complaint against the detention with Minsk Pershamaiski Prosecutor’s Office.

03.03.2009 'Young Front' activists are fined for action in front of presidential administration

Five activists of the Young Front were detained for an unauthorized picket. They were standing with a streamer ‘No to political terror!’ in front of the administration of Lukashenka.

03.03.2009 ‘Young Front’ activist Artsiom Dubski placed to pre-trial prison in Asipovichy

The activist of the Young Front Artsiom Dubski has been placed to the pre-trial prison in Asipovichy in connection with a criminal case for evasion from punishment (personal restraint) that has been brought against him recently. The prosecutor has three days to decide whether to leave the activist in jail or release him under written undertaking not to leave the town.

26.02.2009 Homel: arrested oppositionist declares hunger strike

The coordinator of the organizing committee for creation of the Belarusian Christian Democracy party in Homel Kanstantsin Zhukouski, who is serving the punishment in a remand prison, has announced a hunger strike.

13.02.2009 Homel: political prisoner Artsiom Dubski detained

Now the activist faces punishment under Article 415 of the Criminal Code (‘evasion from serving the penalty’). The matter is that last winter Artsiom has been sentenced to two years of personal restraint within the frames of the ‘case of 14’, for participation in a peaceful action of protest, staged by entrepreneurs.

13.02.2009 Zmitser Dashkevich and Mikola Dzemidzenka get arrested for action of protest

On 12 February activists of the Young Front held a protest picket against arrests of leaders of entrepreneurs Uladzimir Asipenka, Mikalai Autukhovich and Yury Liavonau near the pre-trial prison in Valadarski Street in Minsk. They were standing near the jail chanting ‘Freedom to Political Prisoners’. The picket lasted for 20 minutes.