News on the topic: provocation
01.08.2008 Smarhon: KGB interrogates former deputy head of BPF Youth’s Smarhon branch
On 31 July Vadzim Zharomski, former deputy head of Smarhon branch of the BPF Youth, was taken away from work and guarded to Smarhon KGB department. There he was made to give explanations concerning the blast which had taken place on 4 July. Then Zharomski was fingerprinted at the police department.
01.08.2008 Journalist from Lida gets fingerprinted
On 30 July Stanislau Sudnik, editor of Nasha Slova newspaper, was summonsed to Lida KGB department. There he was asked usual questions about the 4 July blast in Minsk and fingerprinted.
15.07.2008 Illia Bohdan: birthday behind bars
The member of the Belarusian Popular Front Party, human rights activist Illia Bohdan has to celebrate his 21st birthday behind bars. He is kept there on suspicion in relation to the 4 July blast in Minsk.
15.07.2008 Polatsk: searches at oppositionists’ apartments continue
In Polatsk the police burst into an apartment which was rented by activists of the underground organization Young Front.
15.07.2008 Riot police disperse action in support of arrested public activists. Anatol Liabedzka is beaten
On 14 July an action demanding to release opposition activists, unlawfully arrested after the blast in Minsk on 4 July, was dispersed at Kastrychnitskaya Square in Minsk. More than 50 people came to the square with portraits of political prisoners, and unfurled national Belarusian and EU flags. More than 100 riot policemen were thrown against the participants of the action.
14.07.2008 Astravets district: police show interest to youth activist Yahor Krasnou in connection with Minsk blast
On 9 July two policemen came to the activist of the United Civil Party Yahor Astravetski’s home. As the activist was absent, they asked his mother, A.Vitkouskaya about his whereabouts on 3-4 July and all ten days before it, in connection with the terrorist act in Minsk. They had quite a large list of suspects in their hands.
11.07.2008 Ales Bialiatski: ‘A civil intimidation campaign has been started against the background of the electoral campaign’
On 11 July human rights activists, relatives of the arrested ex-members of White Legion and democratic leaders held a press conference dedicated to the groundless arrests in connection with the blast which had taken place on 4 July in Minsk, at celebration of the official Independence Day.
11.07.2008 Statement of Presidium of the political council of the United Democratic Forces
The authorities started using the 4 July blast in Minsk for lynching the political opposition, instead of searching the real criminals. As of 11 July 2008, 16 persons were arrested. The majority of them are activists and members of different democratic political parties, public initiatives and electoral headquarters of the candidates of the United Democratic Forces. Youth activists are terrorized and detained for protest against repressions. The atmosphere of unpunished lawlessness predominates in the country during the electoral campaign.
11.07.2008 Hrodna: police are after Mikola Markevich’s sons
On 11 July Hrodna journalist, former political prisoner Mikola Markevich informed RFE/RL that his sons Aliaksei and Mikola are summonsed to the police.
11.07.2008 Vitsebsk: Barys Khamaida gets imprisoned as a result of provocation
On 8, 9 and 10 July the police detained Barys Khamaida for handing out independent press. Each time he was detained for two hours and then was released.
11.07.2008 13 persons in jail: groundless arrests of opposition activists continue
After the blast of a home-made bomb at the concert on 4 July Illia Bohdan, Siarhei Chyslau, Anton Koipish, Ihar Korsak, Pavel Kuryianovich Miraslau Lazouski, Viktar Liashchynski, Mikhail Pashkevich, Kiryl Paulouski, Tatsiana Pikun, Alexander Siarheyenka, Vital Stazharau and Siarhei Vysotski have been detained.
10.07.2008 Authorities persecute members of Young Front in connection with 4 July blast
On 9 July the activist of the Young Front Yaraslau Hryshchenia was summonsed to Baranavichy district police department for giving explanations concerning the blast which had taken place in the night of 3-4 July, during the celebration of the official Independence Day.
10.07.2008 79% of state TV poll believe that the Belarusian authorities stand behind 4 July blast
In the morning of 10 July the web-site of the ONT state TV channel held the public poll concerning the organization of the bomb blast during the celebration of the official Independence Day. 79% of respondents (640 persons) consider that the blast has been organized by the authorities, 10% voted for hooligans, 7% - for terrorists. The smallest number of votes was given for the opposition – 3,7% (30 persons). All in all, 810 persons took part in the poll before 11.25 a.m. when it was removed from the site.
10.07.2008 Blast news: Detention term extended to Miraslau Lazouski
Miraslau Lazouski, former member of the underground sportive patriotic organization White Legion, was detained within the frames of the criminal case which had been brought on the fact of the bomb blast in the night of 3-4 July during the celebration of the official Independence Day in Minsk.
10.07.2008 Five persons are arrested in connection with Minsk blast
Many electronic mass media continue informing that four former activists of the underground organization White Legion, Siarzhuk Chyslau, Ihar Korsak, Miraslau Lazouski and Viktar Liashchynski, have been arrested within the frames of the criminal case which has been brought on the fact of the bomb blast during the official concert in the night of 3-4 July.
