The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News on the topic: entrepreneurs

11.01.2008 List of Persons Detained at Meeting of Entrepreneurs in Minsk

11.01.2008 Rechytsa: Aleh Shabetnik Arrested for 5 Days

On 10 January the detained entrepreneur Aleh Shabetnik was tried. Judge Iryna Iulichava found him guilty of petty hooliganism and sentenced him to five days of arrest and fined him 700 000 rubles (about 326 US dollars).

11.01.2008 Details of 10 December Anatol Liabedzka’s Arrest

The leader of the United Civil Party Anatol Liabedzka was detained after the protest of market vendors. The arrest took place in a bus. At the bus stop near the Central Post office Anatol and 5 more protesters entered the bus. Riot policemen in black followed them instantly.

11.01.2008 Hunger-strike against Unfair Verdicts

6 participants of the protest action of individual entrepreneurs, who were guarded to trial to Maskouski district court of Minsk, went on hunger strike.

11.01.2008 Police Beat Protesters

Vera Stramkouskaya, lawyer of the detained on 10 January participants of the entrepreneurs’ action, demanded to call an emergency ambulance to Tsentralny district court of Minsk. 5 activists were guarded to the court, all of them have injuries.

10.01.2008 Ministry of Justice Refuses to Register Trade Union of Small Business ‘Together’

The Ministry of Justice refused to register the trade union of small business 'Together'.

10.01.2008 Minsk: Meeting of Entrepreneurs Is Watched by Riot Police

About 1 000 entrepreneurs gathered in Kastrychnitskaya Square of Minsk. Among them there are politicians Siarhei Kaliakin, Aliaksandr Milinkevich, Ales Mikhalevich and Mikola Statkevich. The police warned the people that the procession to the presidential administration is banned. Then the meeting participants defined delegates who went to the administration for negotiations.

10.01.2008 Rechytsa: Police Provocation against Entrepreneur Aleh Shabetnik

According to an activist of the BPF Party Valery Putsitski, at about 9.15 p.m. he met with Aleh Shabetnik, after which Shabetnik intended to go home. ‘In Karl Marx Street, not far from Shabetnik’s home, he was approached by the local police inspector, who accused him of dirty swearing and guarded to the district police department. There the policemen explained that he was walking on the street and saw a well-dressed man (it was Shabetnik – BelaPAN). The policeman decided to escort the man home so that he would not be offended by any hooligans on the way, but the latter allegedly blankly refused and insulted the policeman with ‘dirty swearing’.

10.01.2008 Entrepreneurs Detained on the Way to Minsk Action

In the morning of 10 January near the village of Samakhvalavichy the road police stopped a minibus with the activists of the campaign For Free Development of Business Aliaksandr Tsatsura and Viktar Kryval and their families. This information was given to BelaPAN by an activist of the entrepreneurs’ movement Mikalai Pakhabau.

10.01.2008 Viachaslau Siwchyk Sentenced to 10 Days of Jail

At about 7.10 p.m. on 9 January in the center of Minsk the police detained an opposition activist Viachaslau Siwchyk. According to his mother, Halina Siwchyk, he was accused of dirty swearing and guarded to Tsentralny district police department of Minsk. This night he spent in the remand prison in Akrestsin Street.

09.01.2008 Pressurization of Minsk Entrepreneurs Increases

Today all entrepreneurs who work at the World of Books exhibition center have been familiarized with the following announcement of the administration: ‘Since 11 a.m. till 3 p.m. representatives of Minsk city executive committee, tax inspection and the Ministry of Internal Affairs will check the regime of the working day. In case of closure of the working place without a good excuse and absence of the vendor the retail license will be annulled’.

09.01.2008 Details of Detention and Trial over Viktar Harbachou

According to Viktar Harbachou, leader of the campaign For Free Development of Business, the authorities want to isolate him before the meeting of entrepreneurs on 10 January. He said it in the interview to BelaPAN.

08.01.2008 Viktar Harbachou Acquitted

The leader of entrepreneurs Viktar Harbachou has been released from Barysau district court. ‘He is acquitted for absence of crime in the act’, told the activist of entrepreneurs’ movement Mikhail Vasilieu.