27.07.2009 Arrests for national flags started in regions

In the town of Haradok, Vitsebsk region, young oppositionists planned to celebrate the Independence Day on July 27 by a rally under a white-red-white flag.

15 young activists gathered on the central square of the town with national flags and scanned slogans: “Long live Belarus!” As a result, policemen detained activists of “European Belarus” Iryna Pyatrova and Leanid Autukhou, and “Moladz BNF” activists Valery Ramanenka and Taras Surhan.

A report was drawn up against the detained on charges relating article 23.34 of Administrative Code – “Participation in unsanctioned events”. It is known that the court is to take place today.

23.07.2009 Political prisoner Artsyom Dubski stopped hunger strike

The participant of the Process of 14 stopped his hunger strike as the administration of the pre-trial detention center in Babruisk treats him “better”.

On July 17, officers of the detention center demanded Dubski to apply for transferring him in a penal colony to serve his punishment. After that the “Young Front” activist was denied medical aid, taken away his belongings, and conditions of detention for him were worsened. Artsyom Dubski went on hunger strike in protest on July 20, Radio Svaboda reports.

23.07.2009 Belarusian oppositionist and his 11-month-old baby taken to militia department

Militia searched the flat of Kanstantsin Chuvak in Pinsk and confiscated his correspondence with officials and courts, political literature, CDs.

At 7 a.m. July 22, militia officers rang at the door to activist of the “For Freedom” movement, but he choose not to open the door and turn off his phone, as his baby was sleeping,” the website milinkevich.org reports.

Then the law enforcement officer used a hoist to get to the fifth floor. The militiamen showed Kanstantsin Chuvak a search warrant signed by the prosecutor and began to search the flat.

23.07.2009 Lyabedzka asks new Interior Minister to answer for his officers

The leader of the United Civil Party has sent a letter to the Interior Minister Anatol Kulyashou.

In the address the politician offered the minister to give an explanation for actions of law-enforcing agencies of Zhodzina chief directorate of Interior Affairs.

On Friday police tried to prevent handing out of independent newspaper “Novy chas” near the entrance of BELAZ plant. 6 activists of the United Civil party and “Young Democrats” activists were detained. 500 copies of “Novy chas” were seized.

23.07.2009 Authorities responded to PACE – another death sentence delivered

The Court of the Minsk region sentenced killers of two officers of Bolshevik-Agro company in the Minsk region to death and life imprisonment.

“Two dwellers of Salihorsk, found guilty of murder of two officers of the company, were sentenced to death and life imprisonment,” Interfax learnt from the prosecutor’s office of the Minsk region.

According to a source of the agency, another accused in this case got 13 years in prison, he was found guilty of aiding killing.

The prosecutor’s office noted the court found “two people guilty of killing 2 persons committed by a group of people for selfish motives.”

23.07.2009 Case over portraits of missing people: Courts on regions ignore decision of Supreme Court

On Jule 22, the Homel region court dismissed a cassation appeal of the oppositionists convicted for the picket of memory of kidnapped Yury Zakharanka.

We remind that on June 25, judge of the Tsentralny district court Maryna Domnenka fined the participants of the picket in memory of former interior minister Yury Zakharanka, Radio Svaboda reports. Leader of the Homel opposition Uladzimir Katsora was arrested for three days. The politicians declared himself on dry hunger strike just in the courtroom protesting against the court decision. The oppositionists filed a cassation appeal to the Homel region court.

23.07.2009 Ecologists from Ukraine file complaint against Belarus over planned nuclear power plant

The Ukrainian envirinmental non-governmental organization Ecoclub has filed a complaint against Belarus over the alleged violation of the Convenant on Assessment of Environmental Impact in the Trans-border context (ESPO) over the planned construction of a nuclear power plant.

The Belapan news agency reports the complaint was sent to the Geneva-based ESPO Secretariat.

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.

21.07.2009 Participant of Process of 14 Mikhail Subach amnestied

Mikhail Subach was granted amnesty yet on July 15, but he learnt this only on Friday.

We remind that the Process of 14 is a case under article 342 of the Criminal Code of Belarus instigated against participants of a peaceful protest rally of entrepreneurs held in Minsk on January 10, 2008.

For participation in this rally the Tsentralny district court of Minsk sentenced youth activist Andrei Kim to 1.5 years in penal colony (he was released in August 2008). Activist of the civil campaign “European Belarus” Alyaksandr Barazenka was sentenced to one year of restraint of liberty without sending him to a penal facility, he was kept in a detention center from October 27 to December 9, 2008.

21.07.2009 Action on Independence Day July 27 banned in Mahilou

The Mahilou city executive committee didn’t allow opposition activists to hold information pickets in the city center dedicated to the 19th anniversary of adoption of the Declaration of the State Sovereignty of the BSSR by the Supreme Council of the BSSR.

The answer, signed by deputy head of the city vertical Fyodar Mikheenka, says there is a special place for such actions in Mahilou – Cheluskintsev Street near house #54-a. this place is far from crowded streets. To get a permit for an action the applicants must sign a contract with the local militia, medical workers, utility services and pay them.