The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for 10 Jan 2008

10.01.2008 No Election Dialogue Ahead

The leaders of the United Democratic Forces have received an answer from the Presidential administration concerning their proposal to hold a dialogue on the election legislation and the practice of its usage. In their answer the authorities refused from such dialogue.

10.01.2008 Ministry of Justice Refuses to Register Trade Union of Small Business ‘Together’

The Ministry of Justice refused to register the trade union of small business 'Together'.

10.01.2008 Minsk: Meeting of Entrepreneurs Is Watched by Riot Police

About 1 000 entrepreneurs gathered in Kastrychnitskaya Square of Minsk. Among them there are politicians Siarhei Kaliakin, Aliaksandr Milinkevich, Ales Mikhalevich and Mikola Statkevich. The police warned the people that the procession to the presidential administration is banned. Then the meeting participants defined delegates who went to the administration for negotiations.

10.01.2008 Rechytsa: Police Provocation against Entrepreneur Aleh Shabetnik

According to an activist of the BPF Party Valery Putsitski, at about 9.15 p.m. he met with Aleh Shabetnik, after which Shabetnik intended to go home. ‘In Karl Marx Street, not far from Shabetnik’s home, he was approached by the local police inspector, who accused him of dirty swearing and guarded to the district police department. There the policemen explained that he was walking on the street and saw a well-dressed man (it was Shabetnik – BelaPAN). The policeman decided to escort the man home so that he would not be offended by any hooligans on the way, but the latter allegedly blankly refused and insulted the policeman with ‘dirty swearing’.

10.01.2008 Entrepreneurs Detained on the Way to Minsk Action

In the morning of 10 January near the village of Samakhvalavichy the road police stopped a minibus with the activists of the campaign For Free Development of Business Aliaksandr Tsatsura and Viktar Kryval and their families. This information was given to BelaPAN by an activist of the entrepreneurs’ movement Mikalai Pakhabau.

10.01.2008 Independent Electronic Editions Are Blocked

At about 10 a.m. on 10 December the access to the web-sites of the Belarusian service of Radio Liberty and Charter’97 were blocked and the Belarusian Partisan web-site worked with problems.

10.01.2008 Viachaslau Siwchyk Sentenced to 10 Days of Jail

At about 7.10 p.m. on 9 January in the center of Minsk the police detained an opposition activist Viachaslau Siwchyk. According to his mother, Halina Siwchyk, he was accused of dirty swearing and guarded to Tsentralny district police department of Minsk. This night he spent in the remand prison in Akrestsin Street.