21.09.2009 Procuracy continues to persecute independent journalists

Journalist from Homel Aleh Razhkou, a member of the Belarusian Association of Journalists received a summons to the Homel region prosecutor’s office on September 18.

As baj.by reports, prosecutor Alesya Rabtsava invites the journalist for a conversation as a witness on September 22.

At the beginning of the year, Rabtsava gave warning to Aleh Razhkou for “journalistic activity for Polish satellite TV channel Belsat without accreditation”.

Aleh Razhkou thinks the prosecutor is going to give him another warning. The journalist phoned the prosecutor’s office and was told it would be n ordinary prosecutor’s examination.

21.09.2009 Vileika activists to face civil charges for installing crosses

On 19 September, three pro-dem activists from Vileika, Minsk region Uladzimir Maliarchuk, Aliaksei Siudak and Ales Narkevich were summonsed to local police department and charged with violating the Law on Mass Actions during the installation of memorial crosses on the execution spot of anti-Soviet combatant Lapitski outside Vileika. ‘Since it is politically-motivated case, this is sure to be a damning verdict,’ says Aliaksei Siudak, ‘I don’t know how they are going to prove that our action was an unauthorized meeting. We neither demand nor assert anything. Nor did we consider any social or political issues. The people simply installed several crosses, prayed and laid flowers.’

21.09.2009 For Freedom regional activist to face eighth prosecution within two years

Siarhei Panamarou, member of the For Freedom movement and publisher of the Boiki Kletsk independent newsletter from Kletsk, Minsk region, is likely to face another criminal charge under Article 188-2 of the Criminal Code (libel). In 2007, he was charged with libel against local state legal advisor Natallia Semashkevich in a publication in the Boiki Kletsk. The criminal prosecution was five times suspended and five times resumed. Two different expert assessments failed to find any violations of the Criminal Code. This time, the article is going to undergo another examination.

21.09.2009 Arrests of oppositionists at Dazhynki fest in Kobryn

Alyaksandr Mekh, the head of the local branch of the Belarusian Popular Front, was arrested ahead of Lukashenka’s visit to the town.

The so called festival of harvest – Dazhynki – took place in Kobryn on September 19.the festival is celebrated in Belarus annually on a large scale. Alyaksandr Lukashenka arrived in the town for the event. Head of the local branch of the BOF Party Alyaksandr Mekh was arrested before his visit.

Mekh managed to phone journalists of www.charter97.org, but couldn’t tell anything, we could just hear how he was detained with the use of physical force.