News on the topic: political persecution
06.10.2008 Authorities extend ‘black lists’
Some activists of the democratic movement have faced with foreign travel restrictions and the surnames of some more have been introduced into the lists for being searched on the border. The persons to whom such measures are applied cannot receive an answer about the reasons.
01.10.2008 Alexander Chyhir starts serving arrest
On 1 October a public activist from Babruisk Ales Chyhir starts serving his 10-days’ arrest. He has been sentenced to this punishment within the frames of a criminal case that had been brought against him after an incident with a taxi driver. On 29 May the driver was driving Alexander, his wife and daughter home. The driver refused to issue a receipt to Chyhir and drove the passenger to the police station instead. There Mr. Chyhir was charged with threats to the driver, damage of the car and insubordination to the police. Though beaten by the police, Chyhir was found guilty and sentenced to ten days of jail. Despite the fact that the case was considered in summer, the politician is imprisoned only now.
15.09.2008 KGB ‘checks’ workers of Institute of History
In the second half of August and in the beginning of September KGB officers held a ‘voluntary’ questioning of workers of the Institute of History of the Academy of Sciences of Belarus in connection with the 4 July explosion in Minsk. The ‘questioning’ was conducted in the working time. The KGB workers occupied the scientists’ offices and working places for it. Those who refused to participate in these measures are threatened with dismissal.
15.09.2008 Human rights center
A document entitled ‘Decision for provision of civil security and road safety in Brest oblast during preparation and holding of the elections of deputies to the Chamber of Representatives of the National Assembly of the fourth convocation’, signed by the head of the head of the internal affairs department of Brest oblast executive committee, lieutenant-colonel V.Krasnichenka, and agreed with the head of Brest oblast KGB department L.Dziadkou and the procurator of Brest oblast, senior justice advisor S.Khmaruk.
09.09.2008 Drahichyn: pressurization of oppositional candidate’s proxy
Yury Litvinau was a proxy of a candidate from the Belarusian Union of military officers at Dnepra-Buhskaya electoral constituency #10 Mikalai Tkachuk, but had to refuse from working in the candidate’s team because of pressurization at work. He wrote the statement about cessation of his participation in the initiative group of Mikalai Tkachuk on his request – the candidate felt pity for the family of his army friend.
05.09.2008 Mahiliou: youth activists are expelled from university
The coordinator of the Belarusian Christian Democracy Party Tatsiana Shambalava and a leader of Mahiliou organization of the Young Front Rastsislau Pankratau are expelled from Mahiliou State University.
05.09.2008 Minsk: ‘Young Front’ activist Vadzim Kaniauka is detained
On 5 September in Minsk the police detained the Young Front activist Vadzim Khanyauka.
04.09.2008 ‘Case of 14’: personal restraint or home arrest?
This year 14 persons were accused of organization of mass riot at the protest action of entrepreneurs which was held on 21 January. One of them, Andrei Kim, was also accused of threatening with violence to a policeman and was sentenced to 1,5 years of jail. Two more, Anton Koipish and Uladzimir Siarheyeu, were punished with fines. One person remains abroad and therefore still has not received any punishment. The rest of the 14 were sentenced to different terms of personal restraint.
04.09.2008 Anatol Liabedzka’s apartment is seized for non-payment of fine for European March
On 3 September the leader of the United Civil Party Anatol Liabedzka received a notice saying the court of the Tsentralny district of Minsk seized his apartment, allegedly for his failure to pay penalty for participation in organizing the European March mass action which had was held in Minsk on 14 October 2007.
03.09.2008 Ministry of Justice demands that BPF remove white-red-flag from headquarters entrance
The central office of the Belarusian Popular Front was visited by a consultant of the department of non-governmental organization of the Ministry of Justice Alexander Kharyton.
15.08.2008 Homel: procuracy upholds dismissal from work for oppositional pretender for candidate
One of the tendencies of electoral campaign’2008 is that potential candidates that are not nominated by the regime are threatened with dismissal from work or even dismissed. The law enforcing agencies usually close their eyes to such actions. One of the latest exampled is the reaction of the procuracy to the dismissal threats received by a pretender for candidate at Buda-Kashaliova constituency Kanstantsin Zhukouski.
14.08.2008 Baranavichy: how much saliva and how many fingerprints will be enough?
‘How much saliva and how many fingerprints should I take to police to be left alone?’ asks a resident of Baranavichy, member of the Belarusian Popular Front Party Viktar Meziak. For the first time his saliva and fingerprints were taken by the local police inspector. Then other policemen started calling demanding his saliva and fingerprints as well. ‘I have to explain to them that I have taken saliva and fingerprints already. It seems to me that it is a purposeful action so that one would not feel comfortable.’ The last such call Meziak received on 12 August at 11 pm.
14.08.2008 Ashmiany: police draw violation report on Ivan Kruk
On 19 July police confiscated from Ivan Kruk leaflets with a public statement of the united democratic forces on one side and a photo of Kruk on the other. Ivan Kruk states that these leaflets had no relation to the elections and even complained about the confiscation to the procuracy.
12.08.2008 Vitsebsk: candidate Levinau fired from police, but his harassment continues
On 12 August at 9.15 am the administration of Chyhunachny district police department of Vitsebsk familiarized Andrei Levinau with the conclusiong of the head of the police department of Vitsebsk oblast executive committee, colonel Farmahei, according to which Levinau was to be fired from police.
11.08.2008 Party of Communists Belarusian to sue Lukashenka for discrediting
At its assembly this Sunday the PCB ruled to sue Alexander Lukashenka, who in connection with the blast on 4 July stated that ‘Kaliakin’s communists profess fascist ideology’.
