22.07.2009 Military officials keep harassing youth leader Franak Viachorka

According to Franak Viachorka, officers of the military unit where the activist is now serving have threatened him with criminal prosecution for at least six times over the past few weeks, including insubordination and malingering. He is also harassed for speaking Belarusian in the army. Franak’s father and famous politician Vintsuk Viachorka says his son has been subject to deliberate psychological terror by creating unbearable serving conditions. The politician thinks that by doing this the officers are executing an order.

22.07.2009 Young Democrats leader insists on prosecution of riot police officers

Mikhail Pashkevich, leader of the Young Democrats organization, has lodged a claim with Minsk Tsentralny Prosecutor’s Office, City prosecutor’s Office and the Internal Security Directorate of the Ministry of the Interior with a demand to prosecute several riot police officers and regular policemen for numerous offences during the 16 July Solidarity Day rally in Minsk. The list of alleged offences compiled by the activist includes battery, illegal arrests and insults. The complaint stresses that the offences dishonour the high status of the Belarusian policeman.

22.07.2009 Mazyr HR activist says he suffered for political activity

According to the BelaPAN news agency, Mazyr human rights activist Pavel Nazdra has been accused of violating military registration rules and is facing a fine. ‘I have been charged with failure to inform the local military registration department of employment changes, while my employer did inform the department in due time,’ said the activist. Mr.Nazdra thinks the prosecution is caused by his activities in the civil society, namely his attempts to draw attention to the problem of exterminating stray pets. The activist says it is another case when the local authorities use Article 25.8 of the Administrative Code to prosecute him for his civil activities.

22.07.2009 Christian democrats rejected registration completely

The Supreme Court dismissed a complaint of founder of the Belarusian Christian Democracy party and agreed with the position of the Ministry of Justice.

The party members go to law to cancel the decision of the ministry, which refused to register the BCD party, radio Svaboda reports.

The BCD representatives told the court the decision of the Ministry of Justice was political motivated. The BCD activists, fired for their political views, had a ward at the trial. Judge of the Supreme Court Valery Samalyuk heard the witnesses, who had given their signatures for BCD registration. The witnesses told about the threats from administration and KGB officers. But the Supreme Court took the side of the Ministry of Justice on July 23.

22.07.2009 Young oppositionists still forcefully drafted into army

Militiamen handed in a summons calling to appear the military enlistment office to “Young Front” activist from Homel Andrus Tsyanyuta on Tuesday.

As Radio Svaboda reports, the activist must appear in the military enlistment office at 9 a.m. on July 24 for “drafting.”

“I was surprised to see this summons,” Andrus Tsyanyuta says. “Two years ago I got a determent till 2012 because I’m a correspondence-course student. I think the authorities want to isolate active young people with the help of the army.”

22.07.2009 Officer of Almaz special unit kidnap oppositionists in Belarus

“Young Front” activists Nasta Palazhanka and Dzyanis Karnou identified the man who had been in charge of their kidnapping on March 25.

We remind that “Young Front” activists Nasta Palazhanka and Dzyanis Karnou were detained by unknown people on Freedom Day March 25 some hours before the rally. Dzyanis Karnou was beaten up, his jeans were cut, and his money was seized.