News on the topic: presidential elections-2010
06.06.2011 Mahiliou authorities ban picket against increase of prices
The Mahiliou City Executive Committee didn’t authorize a meeting against the increase of prices, inflation and decrease of the life standards of workers. The official reason for the ban is the failure of teh action organizers to conclude agreements with such state services as poilce, medics and public utilities.
03.06.2011 Rahachou: opposition activist is promised a decrease in the sum of fines in case he gives up politics
Dzianis Dashkevich, an activist of the organizing committee of the Belarusian Christian Democracy, intends to hold the first socio-political action in the history of Rahachou on 3 July. According to his plan, several tens of people should come to the center of the town with posters “Where are 500 US dollars?” (the sum of the average wage publicly promised to Belarusian citizens by Aliaksandr Lukashenka).
03.06.2011 Hrodna: human rights defender Rutkouskaya appeals fine
On 25 May Sviatlana Rutkouskaya, a member of the Belarusian Helsinki Committee from Hrodna, was fined by the head of the Leninski District Police Department, lieutenant colonel Yauhen Yarmantovich. The matter is that Rudkouskaya, being the head of a local housing cooperative, had allegedly failed to issue the complaint book to a citizen, thus violating Article 9.24 of the Code of Administrative Offences of the Republic of Belarus.
03.06.2011 Editorial board of independent socio-political website gets evicted from office
The editorial board of the socio-political website ex-press.by, created by journalists of the private socio-political newspaper Kur'yer z Barysava (closed down before the 2006 presidential election), is evicted from the rented office.
03.06.2011 Human rights defender asks Ministry of Justice to punish Belarusian National Youth Union (BRSM)
A Vitsebsk human rights defender, representative of the Belarusian Helsinki Committee Pavel Levinau addressed the Justice Minister asking to punish the pro-governmental “state NGO” Belarusian National Youth Union for improper use of its name.
02.06.2011 Political prisoner Dzmitry Novik is pressurized in Shklou penal colony
Dzmitry Novik was sentenced to 42 months in a high-security penal colony for participation in the protest rally against the rigging of the presidential elections on 19 December in Minsk. In his recent telephone conversation with his mother the prisoner said that he was being provoked in prison. He said that soon there could be declared an amnesty, that's why the possible reason for the provocations could be that the prison administration wants to leave him in jail, or even give him another sentence.
30.05.2011 Weekly review of post-election situation in Belarus (23-29 May)
Minsk courts pronounced 7 more verdicts in the mass riot criminal case: former presidential candidates Mikalai Statkevich and Dzmitry Us were sentenced to 6 and 5.5 years of imprisonment respectively, Aliaksandr Klaskouski – 5 years, Artsiom Hrybkou – 4 years. Andrei Pazniak was released in the courtroom after he was sentenced to 2 years of compulsory labour without direction to a penal colony. Radio Racyja board chair Yauhen Wapa was not allowed entering Belarus and his visa was cancelled without any explanations. Minsk police detained 7 participants, including 4 human rights defenders, of a round table meeting on the issues of reforming Belarusian Internal Affairs system. President Lukashenka called upon officials to close down the media “engaged in creating panic” in consumer and currency markets.
27.05.2011 Brest prosecutor’s office turns down police violence claim by HR defender
Brest human rights defender Raman Kisliak received a reply to his complaint against reported use of violence by the city police as Mr. Kisliak was forced to undergo fingerprinting examination.
25.05.2011 Weekly review of post-election situation in Belarus (15-22 May)
Three trials of 16 participants of the 19 December 2010 post-election events were finished last week, 9 defendants were convicted under Par. 1 Art. 342 of the Criminal Code (organization and preparation of activities that breach the public order, or active participation in them). On 16 May sentences were handed down to Iryna Khalip, Pavel Seviarynets and Siarhei Martseleu, on 20 May – to Uladzimir Niakliayeu, Siarhei Vazniak, Aliaksandr Fiaduta, Vital Rymasheuski, Andrei Dzmitryeu and Nasta Palazhanka. The verdicts appeared to be rather mild, as compared to the previous ones: those were mostly suspended imprisonment or probation. The pronouncement of sentences to seven more persons involved in the criminal proceedings on riots charges were postponed, including 2 presidential candidates Mikalai Statkevich and Dzmitry Us.
23.05.2011 For Freedom Homel leader appeals fine in Supreme Court
Piotr Kuzniatsou, leader of For Freedom Homel regional office, has lodged a complaint with the Supreme Court, appealing an earlier fine for distributing leaflets back in January 2011.
19.05.2011 Anarchists convicted for arson of KGB Babruisk office
Activists of Belarusian anarchist movement Yauhen Vaskovich, Pavel Syramolatau and Artsiom Prakapenka have been found guilty of committing an arson attack on the KGB building in the town of Babruisk and sentenced to 7 years of imprisonment in a high-security penal colony each.
19.05.2011 Homel activists appeal peaceful assembly ban
United Civil Party Homel activists keep appealing executive restrictions on holding rallies enforced by the city authorities, after Homel officials banned a picket on 23 February.
17.05.2011 Andrzej Poczobut enters motion for termination of criminal case
Journalist Andrzej Poczobut, facing charges for insult and libel of President Lukashenka, has lodged a motion for dismissal of the criminal case due to lack of corpus delicti, says the reporter’s lawyer Aliaksandr Birylau.
17.05.2011 Election aftermath in Barysau
Three Barysau residents are still unable to find jobs after they were fired in the aftermath of the 2010 presidential election.
16.05.2011 Weekly review of post-election situation in Belarus (9-15 May)
A record number (27 persons) of participants of the 19 December 2010 events stood trials last week. The first verdict on charges of organizing mass riots was pronounced – former presidential candidate Andrei Sannikau was sentenced to 5 years of imprisonment in a high-security penal colony. Other participants of the post-election protest who stood trial together with the politician were also convicted: Aleh Hnedchyk – 3.5 years, Illya Vasilevich, Fiodar Mirzayanau and Uladzimir Yaromenka – 3 years in a high-security prison each. Siarhei Kazakou, Vital Matsukevich, Yauhen Sakret and Uladzimir Loban were sentenced to three years in a high-security prison each, Dzmitry Daronin and Aleh Fedarkevich – 3.5 years each. Freedom of speech and association was still restricted, administrative pressure was used.
