News on 11.12.2007

11.12.2007

Volga Kazulina deprived of driver’s license 19

17:34, — Politics

Daughter of former presidential candidate and present political prisoner Alyaksandr Kazulin was deprived of her driver’s license and fined for “traffic offence.”

Business starts to resist 38

17:10, — Politics

Organisers of demonstration of entrepreneurs, held yesterday in Minsk center, had trials today.

Alyaksandr Milinkevich: “I spoke about threat to Belarus’ independence at every meeting in the US” 4

16:30, — Politics

The meeting with the US President George Bush in Washington on December 6 was the culmination of the visit of Belarusian oppositionists to the US. “Instead of the planned 40 minutes, the meeting lasted for an hour,” one of its participants, the leader of “For Freedom” movement Alyaksandr Milinkevich said.

Humiliating treatment 8

16:23, — Politics

The trial over the deputy head of the Belarusian Popular Front party Viktar Ivashkevich has started today in the court of Tsentralny district of Minsk.

30.000 entrepreneurs took part in actions of protest throughout the country 7

15:02, — Politics

As leaders of movement of entrepreneurs think, about 30.000 people took part in actions of protest throughout the country on 10 December. Leu Margolin and Alyaksandr Taustyka said it on the press conference in Minsk.

Alyaksandr Makaeu: «Entrepreneurs shouldn’t go to negotiations while we are in prison»

14:28, — Politics

Leaders of Belarusian entrepreneurs and democratic activists, arrested yesterday at the action of protest of entrepreneurs, are guarded to Minsk courts. The entrepreneurs and oppositionists detained before and after the peaceful demonstration are accused of “minor hooliganism” – riot police bear false witness that the detained were using obscene language.

We know about gas price on New Year’s Eve again 5

13:34, — Politics

Price of Russian gas for Belarus will be discussed on the session of the council of ministers of the so called union state, which is to be held in Moscow in late December.

Quota for joining Belaya Rus 8

13:16, — Politics

Education ministry has circulated an instruction to almost all universities of the country. It requires organizing primary cells of the newly-minted public association “Belaya Rus”.

Medvedev offered Putin to become prime-minister 9

13:14, — Politics

First Prime Minister of Russian government and Vladimir Putin’s preferred successor, asked the president to head Russian government.

Lyavon Barshcheuski: «Russia should do away with its imperial ambitions» 8

12:45, — Politics

“Russia should do away with its imperial ambitions in relation to Belarus to regard our country as an independent state, not as its north-east province,” Lyavon Barshcheuski, new leader of the Belarusian Popular Front, said on the press conference in Minsk on 11 December.

Campaign of Solidarity with Artur Finkevich

11:36, — Politics

If it wasn’t for the second criminal case, Artur Finkevich would return from the corrective labour facility on December 9. but more than a month ago a new criminal action was brought up against the activist for violation of the regime of serving the punishment.

Anti-Freedom Agenda 3

11:27, By Fred Hiatt, «The Washington Post» — Politics

The official White House photo caption revealed the administration's wishful thinking. "President George W. Bush meets with seven leaders of pro-democracy political parties and NGOs from Belarus, the last dictatorship in Europe," the caption declared, "during their visit Thursday, Dec. 6, 2007, to the Oval Office."

Authorities waiting for social protests 1

11:23, — Politics

The Brest executive committee refuses activists of united democratic forces to hold pickets against repeal of the social benefits on 16 December.

Condoleezza Rice calls Belarus to Changes 2

11:19, — Politics

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has sharply criticized Belarus’ regime.

We need freedom (Photo) 2

10:33, — Politics

On 10 December at 6 p.m. Minsk activists of the “For Freedom” movement organised a performance dedicated to International Human Rights Day.

Viktar Kalej: “We have no backing space” 3

10:19, — Politics

Viktar Kalej was one of the applicants and organizers of the all-country meeting of individual entrepreneurs which gathered more than a thousand of participants from all parts of Belarus on Kastrychnitskaya Square in Minsk on Monday. An internet-source Camarade.biz has asked him to tell about the reasons that had caused people to stage the protest, and about next joint actions of individual entrepreneurs in defense of their rights.

Young people reminded about political prisoners on Human Rights Day (Photo)

9:32, — Politics

About a dozen of slogans with a demand to release political prisoners of Belarus emerged almost simultaneously in the center of Minsk on December 10. The rally was held between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. Activists of the civil campaign “Jeans for Freedom!” timed it to the Human Rights Day.

Free theatre awarded with French Republic’s prize 1

8:56, — Culture

The Belarusian Free Theatre was awarded with the French Republic’s human rights prize, “Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité,” on 10 December.