26.11.2009 Liudmila Asipenka: ‘Let us hope the charges brought against my father are a mistake’

As we have reported before, on 25 November the Vaukavysk businessman and political prisoner Uladzimer Asipenka, was charged with terrorist act preparation. The case will be filed to one of the country’s prosecutor’s offices, after the accused and his legal advisors study the materials of the case.

25.11.2009 Political prisoner Artsyom Dubski denied release on parole

The arrested participant of the Process of 14 is still in cruel prison conditions and went on three-day hungry strike protesting against arbitrary behaviour of the colony administration.

On November 24, lawyer Tamara Sidarenka visited her client, the arrested participant of the Process of 14 Artsyom Dubski, who has been in Mahilou penal colony #19 since July 2009.

22.10.2009 Viasna presents analytical survey on political prisoners

On 21 October the Belarusian Popular Front office in Minsk hosted the presentation of a book ‘Political Prisoners: politically-motivated criminal sentences in 2008’, compiled with assistance by the Human Rights Center Viasna. The edition covers the events of 2008, pertaining to the existence of political prisoners, which still attract much public attention. The book is meant to highlight the facts of numerous and continuous politically-motivated harassment, practiced by the Belarusian authorities despite demands by international democratic structures. Meanwhile, the release of all the Belarusian political prisoners remains one of the basic conditions within the EU-Belarus dialogue.

09.10.2009 Supreme Court returns case of Alexander Straltsou for review

On 16 September the presidium of Minsk city court considered the protest of the deputy-head of the Supreme Court against the ruling of Tsentralny verdict of Minsk of 15 June 2009 to Ales Straltsou, figurant of the ‘process of 14’ and ruled the verdict needed to be reversed.

06.10.2009 Number of suspects in Autukhovich’s case gets smaller

Criminal proceedings against 4 persons who, together with Vaukavysk businessman Mikalai Autukhovich, were suspects in the case of a terrorist attack preparation have been stopped.

05.10.2009 Autukhovich’s wife is forced to testify against her husband

Vital Klachko, investigator of Autukhovich’s case, refuses to give the lawyer Aleh Vouchak a general power of attorney of the Autukhovichs. Besides, he demands that Alena Autukhovich should be questioned as a witness, though the women refused to give evidence.

14.09.2009 Figurant of ‘Process of 14’ Ales Straltsou gets chance to be amnestied

On 9 September Ales Straltsou received by mail a copy of the protest of the head of the Supreme Court of Belarus against the verdict, issued to him by Tsentralny district court of Minsk concerning the replacement of the personal restraint for him to corrective labor with exaction of 15% from the wage for the benefit of the state. It was also written in the letter that the protest had been directed to the presidium of Minsk city court.

27.08.2009 Political prisoner Zmitser Khvedaruk taken to hospital again

Medical examination of the forcefully drafted “Young Front” activist will begin in Minsk on September 7.

As Radio Racyja reports, youth activist Zmitser Khvedaruk got new diseases in the army.

We remind that on January 28, 2009, Zmitser Khvedaruk was forcefully guarded to the military enlistment office and then to a jail in Akrestsin Street to serve punishment for participation in a rally on May 1, 2008. It became known later that the court didn’t deliver such a verdict. Nevertheless, Khvedaruk had to spend two days in jail. Handcuffed, he was taken to Minsk polyclinic #4 for medical examination. The medical board found him fit for military service, though he had a surgery on a vine a month ago and a number of chronic diseases.

26.08.2009 Oppositionist persecuted for spreading information about prisoner of conscience Dubski

“Young Front” activist from Lida Vadzim Barouski got a summons to appear at a session of the administrative commission in the case of spreading portraits of political prisoner Artsyom Dubski.

As mfront.net reports, activist Vadzim Barouski must go to office 7 in the district executive committee on the address Savetskaya Street 8 at 4:00 p.m. August 26. The summons was signed by commission secretary Y. Yasyukaits. The summons was thrown into a mailbox, but not hand-delivered.

We remind that Vadzim Barouski and Kastus Litsvinski were detained by militia near the railway station in Lida on July 27.

20.08.2009 Political prisoner Artsyom Dubski remains behind bars

The judicial board of the Mahilou region court dismissed a cassation appeal of “Young Front” activist Artsyom Dubski.

The participant of the Process of 14 appealed against the decision of the Asipovichy district court asking to change a sentence for him, Radio Svaboda reports.

Artsyom Dubski wasn’t present in the courtroom. A film crew of the Belarusian official television worked at the trial.

Lawyer Tamara Sidarenka asked to change the punishment to suspended sentence and grant amnesty to Dubski. Prosecutor Bahamolau called on the judges to uphold the verdict. The court took the side of the prosecutor.

14.08.2009 Alexander Barazenka got amnestied

The figurant of the Process of 14 Alexander Barazenka has been amnestied. ‘On 12 August I was summonsed to Pinsk city prosecutor’s office and informed about it’, said Mr. Barazenka to BelaPAN.

14.08.2009 Political prisoner Artsion Dubski held 16-day hunger-strike of protest

The arrested participant of the Process of 14 has lost 8 kilograms of weight as a result.

13.08.2009 Picket in support of political prisoners

In the evening on 11 August, an action of solidarity with oppositionists in the Belarusian prisons was held in Minsk.

05.08.2009 Violation protocol drawn up on ‘Young Front’ activist Vadzim Barouski

Police officers drew up a protocol for bad keeping of the house and surrounding territory against Vadzim Barouski, Young Front activist from Lida.

05.08.2009 Political prisoner Pavel Vinahradau amnestied

The activist of the civil campaign European Belarus Pavel Vinahradau found out about that on 3 August, when he visited criminal and penal inspection.