News on the topic: political persecution
01.04.2008 Two criminal cases against Andrei Kim merged into one
On 1 April, at 2 p.m. the court of Tsentralny district of Minsk started trying the criminal case against the youth activist Andrei Kim. The trial was attended by Liavon Barshcheuski, Ales Bialiatski, Alena Ilyina, Aliaksandr Milinkevich, Mikola Statkevich, Vintsuk Viachorka and representatives of foreign embassies.
01.04.2008 Amnesty International condemns beatings at Freedom Day celebration
The international human rights organization has issued an official note concerning the events of 25 March in Minsk.
01.04.2008 Riot police disperse action in support of political prisoner Andrei Kim
Riot policemen force away people from the court of Tsentralny district of Minsk, where the trial over Andrei Kim is taking place.
01.04.2008 Shklou: Alexander Fiodarau sentenced to 5 years of jail
On 1 April the judge of Shklou district court Alexander Tarakanau read a sentence on the criminal case against Alexander Fiodarau, boilermaker of the local municipal service.
01.04.2008 Case of political prisoner Siarhei Parsiukevich taken to court
The case of one of the leaders of entrepreneurs from Vitsebsk, a political prisoner Siarhei Parsiukevich, has been sent for trial to the court of Maskouski district of Minsk by the prosecutor’s office.
14.03.2008 Siarhei Parsiukevich Gets Official Charges
The leader of Vitsebsk entrepreneurs, political prisoner Siarhei Parsiukevich has been officially accused by the prosecutor’s office on violation of Article 364 (‘violence or a threat of violence against a policeman’) of the Criminal Code of Belarus.
13.03.2008 Pavel Nazdra Demands Prosecutor’s Check up
On 13 March Pavel Nazdra, member of the organizing committee for the establishment of the Belarusian Christian Democracy Party addressed the prosecutor’s office with the request to conduct a check-up on violations of the labor legislation by his employer.
13.03.2008 State Department Store Demands 28 Million Rubles from Participants of Entrepreneurs’ Protest Action
HUM department store in Minsk has raised a 28-million invoice for participants of the entrepreneurs’ rally on 10 January, an activist of the United Civil Party Mikhail Pashkevich said to Nasha Niva.
13.03.2008 Authorities Demand 125 Million Rubles from Participants of Entrepreneurs’ Action
The Young Front activist Uladzimir Siarheyeu, accused of organization of the protest rally of entrepreneurs, was invited to come to the investigation department of Minsk city executive committee for familiarization with the materials of the criminal case on 14 March.
12.03.2008 Sum of Absurd Claims to European March Organizers Reaches 10 Million Rubles
Yesterday Savetski district court of Minsk continued the hearings on the suit of the Horremautador state enterprise against the organizers of the European March action which took place on 14 October 2007. The enterprise demands from the defendants Yauhen Afnahel, Zmitser Fedaruk, Viktar Ivashkevich, Anatol Liabedzka, Aliaksandr Milinkevich and Viktar Viachorka 2 135 974 rubles (about 993 US dollars) for additional expenditures on cleaning the streets and removal of litter.
11.03.2008 Siarhei Parsiukevich Confronted to ‘Police Victim’
Yesterday the activist of entrepreneurs’ movement Siarhei Parsiukevich was visited by his lawyer Vera Stramkouskaya.
11.03.2008 Education Ministry Ignores Franak Viachorka’s Case
Franak Viachorka, member of the BPF Youth (Belarusian Popular Front), received an answer from the Ministry of Education to his claim against expulsion from faculty of journalism of the Belarusian State University (BSU). In particular, the letter says the claim of the expelled student had been sent to the BSU rector’s office.
11.03.2008 Increase of Taxes: Suppression of Small Business Continues
Recently in different regions of Belarus tax rate for individual entrepreneurs started to be raised.
10.03.2008 Criminal Cases for Participation in 10 January Entrepreneurs’ Rally
Recently a criminal case has been brought on the fact of ‘organization and active participation in the actions that grossly violate the public order’ (article 342, part 1 of the Criminal Code), in connection with the peaceful action of the Belarusian entrepreneurs that was held on 10 January in the center of Minsk. The punishments on this article vary from fine to 3 years of jail. At present there are 14 accused in the case.
10.03.2008 11 March – Continuation of Trial over Organizers of European March Rally
On 11 March, at 10 a.m. the trial over the organizers of the European March rally, held on 14 October 2007, will take place at Savetski district court of Minsk. It will be already the second attempt of the judge Siarhei Barazna to hold a successful trial and read the verdict, as on 25 February the hearings were suspended because of the illness of one of the defendants.
