News on the topic: political persecution
12.09.2007 Orsha: Pushkin and Yanusheuski Receive 7 Days of Jail for ‘Petty Hooliganism’
The administrative trial over the artist Ales Pushkin and the public activist Aliaksey Yanusheuski is over. According to a human rights activist Vasil Leuchankou, the police took the detainees to the court through the duty entrance, without informing the public about the beginning of the trial. Human rights activists composed an appeal against the ‘closed’ nature of the trial and passed it to the chancellery of Orhsa court. They managed to get to the trial only after a break.
11.09.2007 Baranavichy: Pavel Seviarynets Fined and Imprisoned for 17 Days
In the evening of 10 September in Baranavichy the verdict to the member of the organizing committee for the establishment of the Belarusian Christian Democracy Party Pavel Seviarynets was read. He was charged under three articles of the Administrative Code: petty hooliganism (using a whistle), insubordination to the legal police demands, organization of and participation in an unauthorized meeting at the entrance of the court where an activist of the Young Front Yaraslau Hryshchenia was judged. According to the new legislation he was sentenced to 17 days of jail (earlier the largest term was 15 days) and fined 620 000 Belarusian rubles (about 288 US dollars).
10.09.2007 Dzianis Sadouski Sentenced to 5 Days of Jail
On 10 September in Orsha the judge Tatsiana Rybakova sentenced a member of the organizing committee for the establishment of the Belarusian Christian Democracy Party Dzianis Sadouski to 5 days of jail under article 17.1 of the Administrative Code (petty hooliganism, standard accusation against opposition activists). Dzianis was detained on 8 September near Orsha during the celebration of an anniversary of the Orsha battle.
07.09.2007 Siarhei Salash Warned by Prosecutor’s Office
An activist of a public campaign For Clean Barysau Siarhei Salash has received an official warning from Barysau district prosecutor’s office.
06.09.2007 Women’s Party ‘Nadzeya’ Faces Liquidation
A preliminary meeting of the sides of the trial at the Supreme Court of Belarus will take place on 12 September.
06.09.2007 Youth Activist Yaraslau Hryshchenia’s Father Threatened with Firing
Human Rights Center Viasna learned that Yaraslau Hryshchenia’s father Siarhei Hryshchenia had been summonsed to the ideology department of Baranavichy plant of constructions and construction details at which he headed a working brigade. The authorities proposed to him to quit the job, because he was a member of an independent trade union and it was incompatible with his position at the plant. Hryshchenia is not a member of any trade union and has a working contract till 2009, but in the case he refuses to leave the job on his own will, the administration threatens to fire him. It is an evident case of pressurization of a person, whose son actively struggles for democratic transformations in Belarus.
06.09.2007 Brest: Court Punishes Two Participants of Meeting with Pavel Seviarynets
On 4 September Maskouski district court of Brest tried two participants of a meeting with Pavel Seviarynets at the local BPF office. Participants of the meeting at which Seviarynets presented his two books were detained and taken to the police station.
06.09.2007 Niasvizh: Criminal Trial against Nasta Azarka Ends with Fine. Detentions outside Court
On 4 September in Niasvizh a Young Front activist Anastasia Azarka was fined 1 240 000 Belarusian rubles (about 600 US dollars). The verdict was issued by judge Maryia Dunayeva. The youth activist was charged with activities on behalf of an unregistered organisation (article 193.1 of the Criminal Code). The prosecutor demanded to fine her 500 15 500 000 Belarusian rubles (about 7 200 US dollars).
06.09.2007 Salihorsk: Criminal Trial over Ivan Shyla Is Accompanied with Detentions and Imprisonments
On 4 September trials over the Young Front activists Ivan Shyla and Nasta Azarka took place in Salihorsk and Niasvizh. The activists were charged under article 193.1 of the Criminal Code (activities on behalf of unregistered organization). Dozens of people gathered near the courts to support the youth activists.
03.09.2007 One Trial for Ivan Shyla Is Not Enough?
Ivan Shyla, an activist of Young Front from Salihorsk, has received a summons to an administrative commission for 5 September.
30.08.2007 Preventive Detention in Aziarets Settlement on the Eve of Lukashenka’s Visit
Today, on 30 August, Zhdanovichy court sentenced an activist of the civil campaign For Freedom! from Aziarets Yauhen Silvanovich to five days of jail. The activist was detained in the evening of 29 August by workers of Zhdanovichy district police department.
30.08.2007 Homel: Youth Activist Declares Dry Hunger-strike
At 2 p.m. on 29 August Chyhunachny district court of Homel sentenced a member of the organizing committee of the Belarusian Christian Democracy Party Kanstantsin Zhukouski to 5 days of jail and 930 000 (about 430 US dollars) rubles fine.
30.08.2007 Minsk City Court Leaves Verdict to Kanstantsin Lukashou in Force
In the evening of 28 August Minsk city court left unchanged the verdict to Kanstantsin Lukashou, two years of conditional imprisonment for alleged resistance to the police.
30.08.2007 Criminal Cases Can Be Brought against More Young Front Members
The prosecutor’s office of Baranavichy has brought a criminal case on the fact of making political graffiti on the walls of Baranavichy city court.
28.08.2007 Pavel Seviarynets Is Allowed to Have Radio, but Prohibited to Meet with Mother
On 19 August the youth leader Pavel Seviarynets was detained in Brest during presentation of his book Letters from Forest. On 22 August he was sentenced to 15 days of jail.
