23.12.2009 Court takes side of fired trade union leader

The Belarusian Congress of Pro-Democratic Trade Unions (BCPDTD) succeeds in protecting one of its members and leader of Lukoml GRES Power Plant independent trade union leader Aliaksei Habryel, fired by the employer for his civil activity on 30 September.

23.12.2009 Court denies restoration of rights to Vitsebsk human rights activists

Alena Papkova, Deputy Chair of Vitsebsk Kastrychnitski Court, turned down a complaint by a number of local human rights activists striving for the restoration of their civil rights. On 25 November 2009 a group of Vitsebsk human rights activists submitted an application for holding a picket on the International Human Rights Day, 10 December.

23.12.2009 OSCE PA concerned over media freedom in Belarus, Swedish MP says

The Working Group on Belarus at the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly is concerned over the situation regarding freedom of the media and organizations, as well as a lack of opportunities for political parties to get fully involved in the country's political life, Swedish MP Cecilia Wigstrom told reporters in Minsk on December 22.

Ms. Wigstrom, a member of the working group, is leading a delegation of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly that arrived in Belarus on a three-day visit on Sunday.

23.12.2009 Property of oppositionist distrained for rally on Independence Day

On December 22 the leader of Haradok branch of the Belarusian Popular Front party Leanid Autukhou was visited by and officer of the court and two attesting witnesses.

They informed that they were going to distrain Autukhou’s property as the oppositionist failed to pay a fine to the court for organizing an allegedly unsanctioned rally, Radio Svaboda informs.