28.01.2009 Fingerprints for attempt to file petition to Lukashenka

More than 70 women who disagree with decisions of courts in their civil cases and criminal cases of their family members, ask the authorities to stop psychological pressure on them by the regime.

In the address to Alyaksandr Lukashenka of January 27, it is said in particular that according to the Constitution women addressed him many times, and via mass media too, to find protection from lawlessness performed by officers of the court and prosecutors.

28.01.2009 Famous lawyer Pahaniayla speaks in support of Nasha Viasna

Hary Pahaniayla, human rights lawyer and head of the legal commission of the Belarusian Helsinki Committee, has commented on the registration of the Nasha Viasna human rights organization. ‘I am for Nasha Viasna being finally registered. I am looking forward to it. I would like to remind that in our unlawful state it would be better for its citizens to have as many human rights organizations as possible. I would also like to wish the Ministry of Justice reasonableness when taking a decision concerning the registration of Nasha Viasna. I wish they could abide by the law, and not act on a whim.

28.01.2009 Franak Viachorka sent to army

The BPF’s Youth leader Franak Viachorka has reportedly been escorted to a military unit in Baranavichy, after he had been violently drafted in spite of his poor health and medical examination results stating this. Belarusian human rights experts have repeatedly stressed that such means of persecution are evidence of politically-motivated discrimination.

28.01.2009 Brest activists strive for right to hold actions

15 public and political activists from Brest region have been trying to appeal the decision of Brest town authorities of 25 October 2006, which determined the location for holding mass actions. The activists think the remote stadium allocated for mass actions in Brest is a violation of their civil rights, as well the rights to freedom of speech and association. Guided by Articles 19 and 21 of the International Convent on Civil and Political Rights, the activists urge to abolish the lawless decision. It is their 9th attempt to protect their rights and freedoms. In case the claim is turned down again, the activists are going to address the UN Human Rights Committee.

28.01.2009 Regional activist lodges claim with Supreme Court

Siarhei Panamarou, activist of the For Freedom movement has filed a claim with the Supreme Court of Belarus against the decision of Kletsk district court – a BYR 750,000 fine for violating the regulations of conducting muss actions. Panamarou had earlier appealed the decision at Minsk regional court. However, the verdict was confirmed that time.

28.01.2009 More Belarusian to be used on state TV

During his meeting with the leader of the Belarusian Language Society Aleh Trusau, head of the state-owned TV channel BT Aliaksandr Zimouski said Belarusian would be more widely used on air, including a number of daily and weekly programs in Belarusian and a monthly talk-show on the problems of the language status in Belarus.

28.01.2009 HRHF concerned about conscription of civil and political activists in Belarus

The Human Rights House Foundation (HRHF) sent a letter to the Defense Minister of Belarus today, expressing its concerns about the conscription of civil and political activits in Belarus.

27.01.2009 Minister of Justice speaks on Belarusian civil society

At a special press-conference on 26 January in Minsk, the Belarusian Minister of Justice Viktar Halavanau said 94 NGOs were granted registration and only 28 were closed down in Belarus in 2008. The minister said over 70% of the liquidated NGOs had not been active in 2008, some of them had brutally violated the Belarusian legislation. ‘We just had to sue such organizations and close them down by force of law,’ said Halavanau. ‘We were very cautious when closing them down,’ he added. In total, at present there are 16 political parties, 36 trade unions, 2,221 public associations, 22 unions and 75 foundations in Belarus.

27.01.2009 Formally, Autukhovich still serves his term

According to www.pahonia.promedia.by, the former political prisoner and businessman Mikalai Autukhovich is still under personal restraint.

Autukhovich says he was to be released on parole a few months ago, but the papers filed by a special supervision commission must have been lost in the police lobbies. Mikalai Autukhovich was sentenced to 42 months of imprisonment for tax evasion and business violations in July 2006. The businessman did not admit his guilt. Last year he was released on parole at the insistence of a number of influential EU diplomats and politicians.

27.01.2009 Ex-leader of Belarus Hryb signs anti-death penalty petition

The former head of the Supreme Soviet of Belarus (1994-1996) and member of the oppositional Social Democratic Hramada Party Mechyslau Hryb was the first politician to join the public campaign aimed at the abolition of capital punishment in the country. In 1985 Hryb was appointed head investigator in the case of serial murders in Vitsebsk and could witness the inefficiency of death penalty after 14 persons were illegally convicted of brutal murder, one of them being sentenced to extreme penalty and exexuted.

27.01.2009 Session procedure kept from independent deputy

Zmitser Kukhlei, opposition deputy of the Masty District Council of Deputies, has been denied of learning the procedure of the today’s session.

Chairman of the District Council of Deputies didn’t explain his decision, Radio Racyja reports.

According to the rules of the district council, deputies should study order of procedure and make suggestions three days before a session. According to Zmitser Kukhlei, this is usually ignored in practice.

Chairman of the Masty district Council of Deputies Heorhy Karobka refused to say why deputy Zmitser Kukhlei had been familiarized with procedure of the session and said he had no time no talk.

Zmitser Kukhlei thinks actions of chairman of the District Council of Deputies Heorhy Karobka violate rights of deputies and neglect his professional duties.

27.01.2009 MEPS protest against forceful drafting of Belarusian oppositionists

Jacek Protasiewicz, head of the European Parliament Delegation for relations with Belarus, concerns about practice of forceful call-up for military service in Belarus.

His statement issued on January 26 says it.

The Polish MEP notes medical conclusions of draftees are reviewed in Belarus, and officers of the secret services take active part in forceful call-up, BelaPAN reports.

This practice causes serious doubts that compulsory military service is used as a type of political repressions against opposition activists, says the statement of the head of the delegation for relations with Belarus.

27.01.2009 European Belarus activist Yauhen Afnahel arrested in Minsk

Activist of the civil campaign “European Belarus” Yauhen Afnahel has been detained in the center of Minsk.

According to witnesses, at 5.00 p.m., 5 or 6 officers of riot militia came up to the oppositionist on Victory square and asked to show his ID. However, they didn’t wait for him to perform their demand, pulled the activist into a car, and took him in an unknown direction.

The press service of “European Belarus” managed to phone the youth leader. Afnahel said he was in the Partyzanski district militia department of Minsk. He wasn’t said why he had been detained.

27.01.2009 Liabedzka to picket Lukashenka’s administration

The United Civil Party leader Anatol Liabedzka says he is going to hold a picket in front of the President’s administration building in protest against the travel ban introduced on him in late 2007 following a criminal case against the politician. Two months ago Liabedzka addressed the General Prosecutor Vasilevich with a request to accelerate the investigation. As yet, the final decision on the matter is not taken.

27.01.2009 KGB interferes with registration of Christian Democrats

KGB officers are trying to intimidate members of the Organizing committee for foundation of the Belarusian Christian Democracy party.

More than 100 persons have already come out as founders of the Belarusian Christian Democracy in Vitsebsk, Polatsk, Chashniki and Haradok. The organising Committee for foundation of the BCD started meetings for registration of the party. The list of more than 100 persons should be collected for that. At the same time, the KGB is trying to intimidate potential founders of the party.