18.03.2010 Christian Democrats quit election campaign over pressure

A number of members of the unregistered Belarusian Christian Democracy were forced to withdraw their applications for registration as candidates due to severe harassment by the authorities, including 4 persons in Minsk.

18.03.2010 Most of Minsk region constituencies to be non-alternative

4,500 candidates will run for 4,260 seats in the local councils of Minsk region, says Yulia Askerka, deputy chair of the Central Department for Staff Affairs of Minsk Regional Executive Committee.

18.03.2010 Hrodna court turns down claim against illegal formation of electoral commissions

Hrodna Kastrychnitski Court dismissed a claim lodged by a group of the city residents against violations during the formation of local divisional election commissions. The claimants argued that their representative Aleh Kalinkou was not elected member of the divisional election commission of Kupala constituency number 14 as a result of violations of the formation procedures.

18.03.2010 BHC Slutsk observer’s registration cancelled

Vital Amialkovich, election observer representing the Belarusian Helsinki Committee, was deprived of accreditation due to ‘a technical fault’, despite an earlier decision on registration.

18.03.2010 Zhlobin: Mudslinging underway

According to Valery Rybchanka, head of the ‘Just World’ party’s Zhlobin district office, who is running for Zhlobin District Council and Homel Regional Council, Zhlobin town authorities have launched a campaign of mudslinging against him.

18.03.2010 Over 110 cities against Europe's last dictatorship

Tomorrow, on Thursday 18th March 2010, the Young European Federalists (JEF) and numerous global partners will protest against Europe's last standing dictatorship on the fourth anniversary of the disputed presidential elections in Belarus.

18.03.2010 Belarusian Association of Journalists under threat of closing down

On March 18, the Supreme Court is to deliver a judgment on complaint of the Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAJ) at actions of the Ministry of Justice.

As “Salidarnast” reports, the trial began at 11:00 a.m. yesterday with evidence of witness Alyaksandr Dzyanisau, whose detention was taken as a ground for one of the counts of warning.

18.03.2010 British Foreign Office ranks Belarus among Cuba and Iran

The UK Foreign Office’s report defines Belarus as a country of concern that has problems with human rights.

On March 17, The Foreign and Commonwealth Office of the United Kingdom released its annual report on human rights analyzing the human rights situation in Belarus as well.