23.02.2010 Election campaign week: events, figures and trends

Last week’s main activities within the election campaign related to the submission of applications for registration of initiative groups to nominate candidates to the appropriate constituency and territorial commissions. The week was also marked by an active discussion of the decisions of local executive committees on the definition of places where picketing for collecting signatures and campaign events in support of candidates would be prohibited.

23.02.2010 Liabedzka summonsed for interrogation

Anatol Liabedzka, Chair of the United Civic Party of Belarus, was summonsed for interrogation to Minsk Regional Prosecutor’s Office. The UCPB leader is to give explanations concerning his arrest in the town of Valozhyn, Minsk region, on 15 February, during a protest rally staged by the unrecognized Union of Poles in Belarus.

23.02.2010 Independent candidate brainwashed by ideology department in Salihorsk

Valery Shcherbin, independent candidate how is going to run in the local council elections, is being brainwashed by the ideology department, say Salihorsk observers. The activist was summonsed for conversation to the ideology department of his company, where he was asked to provide explanations concerning his intent to run in the elections and recommended to join the Belaya Rus pro-government public association.

23.02.2010 BCD member forced to quit election campaign

Aliaksandr Ankuda, member of the Belarusian Christian Democracy Vileika office, was forced to withdraw his application for registration of an initiative group in the forthcoming local council elections, after he was threatened with dismissal by his employer at Vileika district hospital, the BCD press-service reports.

23.02.2010 Hrodna journalist charged with arbitrariness

Hrodna independent journalist Ales Dzianisau was charged with arbitrariness by the local police department and may be fined under civil proceedings, Radio Racyja reports. Ales Dzianisau was detained a month ago in a Hrodna public school while making a story on optional school courses, which was deemed as violation of his Constitutional rights.

23.02.2010 BHC observer not allowed to attend constituency commission meeting

A Belarusian Helsinki Committee observer in Hrodna Raman Yurhel was not allowed to attend the meeting of Vishniavets constituency electoral commission on 22 February despite his official mandate. The Commission chair Siarhei Siamashka said the BHC central office had no right to delegate a representative for maintaining observation in local electoral commissions.

23.02.2010 Parties and religious organisations to be banned in Belarusian universities

Belarusian “parliamentarians” are drafting a new project of the Education Code.

The chairman of the Education, culture and scientific and technical progress of the lower chamber of the “parliament” Uladzimir Zdanovich addressing the extended session of the Commission stated that the draft Education Code includes a ban on activities of political parties and religious organisations in universities, BelaPAN informs.

23.02.2010 Ivan Mikhailau’s mother gets reply from National Security Commission

The mother of Ivan Mikhailau, convicted of draft evasion, received an official reply from the National Security Commission of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly. In his reply, deputy chair of the Commission Mr. Misurahin states that Article 57 of the Belarusian Constitution ‘does not establish the right to alternative service due to religious beliefs, but only provides for its possible use.’

23.02.2010 Main ideologist of Hrodna gave order to arrest oppositionists

Young Front deputy head Ales Kirkevich and activist Veranika Velihor were detained in Hrodna on Monday morning.

The oppositionists were detained for handing round the local newspaper “Christian Defense”.

23.02.2010 Ales Bialiatski: ‘The practice of torture, violence, false evidence fabricated by police officers is part of daily life’

Mass detentions and arrests of representatives of the unrecognized Union of Poles, a nervous attitude of the police to the work of journalists, trials and allegations of disorderly conduct against civil and political activists – all this has its specific reasons, which the authorities try to cover up with demagogic statements on rights and freedoms. These are the reasons named by the vice-president of the International Federation of Human Rights, Chairman of the Human Rights Center Viasna Ales Bialiatski in an interview with our correspondent.