29.06.2009 Informational campaign against political persecution of democratic activists

Representatives of 17 youth organizations launch an informational campaign against the political persecution of democratic activists.

29.06.2009 Homel: police burst into hunger-strikers’ apartment

Policemen and people in mufti burst into a private house of democratic activist in Homel on Friday evening.

26.06.2009 Court dismissed five motions of Ivan Kruk

Judge Alexander Demeshchyk who heads Astravets district court dismissed five out of the six motions made by the activist of the United Civil Party Ivan Kruk.

26.06.2009 Emmanuel Zeltser stops hunger-strike till 30 June

According to information of the lawyer Zmitser Harachka, the American businessman Emmanuel Zetser, currently serving a prison term in Mahiliou prison, has stopped his hunger-strike of protest till 30 June. The layer refused from commenting on this step of his client.

25.06.2009 Ales Bialiatski: PACE’s requirements are an additional stimulus for Viasna’s members to continue their activities

In its recent resolution on the situation in Belarus, PACE called upon the Belarusian authorities to allow registration to the Nasha Viasna human rights organization, which is one of the essential conditions for the country to meet the Council of Europe standards. According to Ales Bialiatski, the requirement is an additional stimulus for Viana’s members to continue their activities.

25.06.2009 Educational NGO Spadchyna denied registration

The central department of justice of Hrodna regional executive committee has denied registration to the Spadchyna culture and educational public association from the town of Biarozauka. According to head of the department Aliaksandr Siankevich, Spadchyna’s application does not comply with the existing legislation. Members of the NGO say that after consulting lawyers they may appeal the decision in court.

25.06.2009 Opposition activist Uladzimir Katsora went on dry hunger strike in prison

On June 25, the judge of the Tsentralny district court of Homel found guilty five participants of a peaceful action of solidarity with kidnapped general Yury Zakharanka.

Opposition activists Pyotr Kuznyatsou, Vasiky Palyakou, Anatol Paplauny and a namesake of kidnapped former interior minister Yury Zakharanka were fined 700,000 Belarusian rubles, Radio Svaboda reports.

Uladzimir Katsora, regional coordinator of the “For Freedom” movement was arrested for three days. Protesting, the politician declared a dry hunger strike in the courtroom.

25.06.2009 Judiciary said to be ready for death penalty abolition

Belarus’ judicial system is ready to introduce a moratorium on the death penalty, Supreme Court Chairman Valyantsin Sukala told reporters in Minsk on June 25. “If the constitution of Belarus describes this exceptional type of punishment as temporary, this clause will inevitably entail its abolition,” he said.

Mr. Sukala said that a moratorium on capital punishment could be an intermediate stage, describing the measure as “quite realistic and well-founded.”

24.06.2009 Front Line joins Stop 193.1! campaign

Front Line calls for the repeal of Article 193.1 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus in support of the campaign “STOP 193.1!” lead by the Assembly of Pro-Democratic NGOs, the largest Belarusian coalition of NGOs. Article 193.1 criminalises any independent human rights initiative in Belarus and gives state officials the power to stop activities of human rights organisations at any time.

24.06.2009 Hrodna human rights activists fight against death penalty

Members of Viasna’s Hrodna office held a three-day civil campaign against the death penalty. The action was joined by several other opposition activists, including members of the UCPB, Young Democrats and the Civil Forum. The activists distributed calendars with an inscription ‘Belarus is the only European country, which still uses the death penalty.’ They also informed local residents of the situation with the death penalty both in Europe and in Belarus.

24.06.2009 Belarusian Parliament passes law on travel regulations

On 24 June the House of Representatives of Belarus passed the law on travel regulations at the second reading. According to Yauhen Melnikau, member of the parliamentary committee on national relations and mass media, said the bill would unify the grounds for temporary travel restrictions, including the cases of protecting national security, criminal prosecution etc.

24.06.2009 Chief Editor of independent newspaper warned by local authorities

According to the Belarusian Association of Journalists’ press-service, Uladzimir Skrabatun, editor-in-chief of the Volnaye Hlybokaye independent newspaper, has been warned by the town of authorities of Hlybokaye, Vitsebsk region following a complaint by an unknown town resident. The warning was issued for violating entrepreneurs’ regulations, after Mr.Skrabatun’s daughter Nadzeya, engaged in selling the newspaper at the local market, refused to give a client the book of complaints.

24.06.2009 Polish-language press seized from leaders of Union of Poles of Belarus

Leaders of the Union of Poles of Belarus Mieczyslaw Jaskiewicz, Ihar Bantsar, Andrzej Pisalnik, and Andrzej Poczobut had to spend three hours at a militia station in Shchuchyn.

Militia officers confiscated Glos znad Niemna na uchodzstwie newspaper and Magazyn Polski, printed by the Union of Poles of Belarus headed by Andżelika Borys, Radio Svaboda reports.

A report of seizure was drawn up. Militiamen said the activists had been detained as militia had received information they were carrying anti-state materials. The department on ideology of the Shchuchyn district executive committee would check the newspaper and the magazine, journalist of Gazeta Wyborcza Andrzej Poczobut said. He also told the militia officers tried to hinder them to get to Ivyanets for a session of the local UPB branch.

24.06.2009 PACE calls on Belarus to register Nasha Viasna

Resolution 1671 (2009)1 Parliamentary Assembly Assemblee parlementaire

23.06.2009 Viasna’s Brest office to strive for registration in court

On 22 June the founders of the Berastseyskaya Viasna human rights NGO lodged a complaint with Brest regional court against the decision by the city authorities of 4 June to deny registration to the organization. The main reason for the decision was the withdrawal of a letter of guarantee for the allocation of a legal address by its owner. In reality, the proprietor of the premises was threatened by the city authorities.