20.01.2010 Article 193-1 meets law, says Prosecutor General

Article 193-1 does not run counter to the Belarusian legislative and Constitutional standards, said Prosecutor General Ryhor Vasilevich during a press-conference on 20 January. ‘I do not think that it pointedly stands out of the legal framework,’ said the official.

20.01.2010 Belarusian student from Estonia on holidays hunted by policemen

Homel-based young activist Ihar Slucak, who studies in Estonia, during his holidays in Belarus faces pressure of the authorities.

As informed by Radio Svaboda, Ihar Sluchak is set to participate in local elections in spring.

19.01.2010 Valiantsin Stefanovich: ‘Ministry of Education should adequately react to its official’s actions’

On 15 January Mrs. Taisa Danilevich, head of the Education Department of Minsk Regional Executive Committee, urged 6 teachers – Natallia Ilyinich (Talka, BPF), Mikola Liashchun (Lahoisk, BPF), Ales Yazvinski (Niasvizh, CCP-BPF), Uladzimir Pareika (Niasvizh district, BSDP), Siarhei Klimionak (Vileika, UCPB) and Nadzeya Ahafonava (Liuban, UCPB) – to stop their membership in various political parties of Belarus. The official thinks the teachers cannot work at schools.

18.01.2010 Belarusian MPs not willing to tackle Article 193-1 issue, waiting for outer initiative

Deputies of the House of Representatives are not going to consider the issue of decriminalizing Article 193-1 of the Criminal Code, say participants of the 22 December New Year happening quoting Mr. Viktar Huminski, head of the House of Representatives’ Standing Commission for National Security.

15.01.2010 Ivan Mikhailau to be tried on 29 January

According to information of Mikhail Pashkevich, leader of the campaign For alternative civil service, the trial on the case brought against Ivan Mikhailau, believer of Jewish-messianic community, will take place on 29 January at the Minsk district court.

15.01.2010 Mongolian President announced death penalty moratorium

Mongolian President Tsakhia Elbegdorj has announced a moratorium on the death penalty, and called for the punishment to be abolished.

15.01.2010 Parole granted to Ales Charnyshou, figurant of ‘Process of 14’

Ales Charnyshou, a figurant of the ‘Process of 14’, instigated against participants of a peaceful rally of entrepreneurs in January 2008, was amnestied.

15.01.2010 Criminal Case against Yauhen Volkau under Article 193.1 is dropped

On 30 December the Minsk prosecutor’s office for the second time dropped the criminal proceedings against Yauhen Volkau, instigated at the end of June 2009 under Article 193.1. Volkau was accused of acting on behalf of the Movement of Unity (Mun’s Church).

15.01.2010 Homel: Yauhen Yakavenka appeals against forced detention by police

As BelaPAN reports, at noon on 14 January two men in police uniform came up to Yauhen Yakavenka, a regional coordinator of the organizing committee of the Belarusian Christian Democracy, in Knizhnaya Street in Homel. They forced Yakavenka to get in a car and took him to a military enlistment office. ‘They explained me that I allegedly evaded draft, though I didn’t receive any summons to the military office. The office staff didn’t know what to do with me. I was waiting for their chiefs. Then I was told I could go,’ commented the activist.

15.01.2010 Vitsebsk: arrests of oppositionists continue

Young activist Taras Surhan, a friend of Siarhei Kavalenka, has been sentenced to 7 days of arrest. Valer Ramanenka and Ales Halavan, activists of the Belarusian Christian Democracy Party, were detained and guarded to the Pershamaiski district police department of Vitsebsk. Pavel Seviarynets, who visited the detainees at the police department, said that ‘haunting of democratic activists has started in Vitsebsk’.

15.01.2010 Ministry of Justice issues official warning to Belarusian Association of Journalists

The Ministry of Justice of Belarus laid several claims to the Belarusian Association of Journalists. BAJ considers them groundless and is going to appeal against the warning.

15.01.2010 Lukashenka creates special secret service for Internet

The Operating and Analytical centre under the president is given the right to control online correspondence of Belarusians and monitor which websites they browse.

14.01.2010 Barysau: court dismissed lawsuit of human rights defenders

On 11 January the court of Barysau issued a verdict on the lawsuit of the human rights defenders Aleh Matskevich and Maryna Statkevich against Barysau district executive committee that had banned holding on 10 December a picket dated to Human Rights Day.

14.01.2010 State is reminded about international undertakings

Uladzimir Katsora, Homel activist of the For Freedom movement, addressed the state organs with the demand that they execute the decision of the UN Human Rights Committee on renewal of the activities of the Civil Initiatives NGO.

13.01.2010 Vitsebsk: searh in apartment of journalist Siarhei Serabro

Police conduct a search in apartment rented by Siarhei Serabro, editor of the web-page Narodnyia Naviny Vitsebska (Popular news of Vitsebsk).