19:31 Harsh sentence to Artur Finkevich. 1.5 years of colony

An activist of the Young Front Artur Finkevich has been sentenced to 1.5 years in a penal colony. The political prisoner has been found guilty of misconduct at the correctional institution while serving the sentence. By imposition of such a harsh sentence to Artur Finkevich doom Belarus’ relations with Europe. The main requirement out of the 12 recommendations of the European Union to Belarus was release of political prisoners.

19:30 Lukashenka pawns country to Russian pawnbroker's office

Belarus and Russia has signed an agreement on granting a state credit of 1.5 billion dollars. The document has been signed by Belarusian Finance Minister Mikalay Korbut and Russian Vice Prime Minister, Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin. Sensational news is that Russia is considering a possibility to lend 2 billion dollars more.

17:47 Prosecutor demanded 2 year in colony for Finkevich

Prosecutor demanded to sentence youth activist Artur Finkevich to 2 years in colony. The prosecutor said the political prisoner “hasn’t mended his ways” during serving his term.

16:24 Entrepreneurs released form jail

Entrepreneurs Viktar Kalei and Alyaksandr Tsatsura were released from the jail on Akrestin Street. They were sentenced to 10 days of arrest on 11 December.

15:28 Charginets won millions of rubles in court

The court of the Pershamaiski District of Minsk sustained a claim of member of the “council of republic” Mikalai Charginets. “Novy Chas” is to pay Charginets 50 million roubles. Journalist Alyaksandr Takovich must pay 1 million roubles.

15:07 Vadim Papou: «We can’t scrape together enough for benefits»

The “parliament” of Belarus has no intention of returning to the adopted law on improvement of social benefits and guarantees for certain categories of people, Vadim Papou, chairman of the “house of representatives” said journalists.

14:51 Freedom to Artur Finkevich! (Photo Report)

Today grass-roots protest rallies are held in front of the court of Kastrychnitski district of Mahilyou over the day. People demand release of Young Front activist Artur Finkevich, who is standing a trial on frame-up case.

13:03 Mikola Khalezin: «We’ll see who is opposition and whom the country belongs to»

“At my estimate, the number people who can be labelled “destructive elements” are exactly the same that the KGB head said. The only point the KGB head and me differ on is that we disagree on names of the people. If speak about those, who dislike the state policy today, it will be, at my guess, about 80 per cent of the population. But the real configuration is: these 80 per cent want 1767 destructive elements to be divested of power,” Mikola Khalezin, famous playwright, director of the Free Theatre said in the interview to the Charter’97 press center.

12:01 European Coalition: Participation in elections possible only under certain conditions

A regular session of the coordinating committee of the European coalition has taken place. Members of the Coordinating committee have cleared up their position on parliamentary elections in the next year. They believe that the democratic forces can take part in the parliamentary elections only when the following conditions would be fulfilled:

11:15 Ambulance called in for Artur Finkevich

Emergency ambulance was called to the court for political prisoner Artur Finkevich.

10:51 Paval Sevyarynets: «Only Lukashenka’s regime threatens national security»

“Zhadobin’s words are a clear psychological act. It’s an attempt to intimidate people. It has nothing in common with the reality. The Belarusian democratic movement consists of hundreds of thousands of people, and millions support it. Only the regime itself, the lie it tries to spread among people can threaten the national security,” youth leader Paval Sevyarynets said, commenting the statement of the KGB head to the Charter’97 press center.

10:37 Action near court: youth requires releasing Finkevich

About 60 people are standing near the court of October District of Magilou, where political prisoner Artur Finkevich, activist of the Young Front, has trial now. The youth activists wear t-shirts with the slogan “Freedom for Finkevich!”, have portraits of the political prisoner in their hans and shout “Freedom!”

10:17 Beaten by riot police leader of Young Front to be discharged from hospital

One of the organisation Young Front leaders Zmiter Hvedaruk is expected to be discharged from hospital on 20 December.

10:13 Mikalay Statkevich: “It’s KGB wishful thinking”

“I think that the statement of the KGB head is a message for the society and opposition. Something like: we know all of you, active oppositionists. One concentration camp will be enough for you. But there are a lot more of us, and March 19, 2006 have demonstrated that the number of active oppositionists is dozens times more,” told the chairman of the Belarusian Social Democratic party (Narodnaya Hramada), a coordinator of the European coalition Mikola Statkevich.

9:40 Zmitser Bandarenka: “I support KGB chairman”

“Statements of the KGB chairman instill optimism in me,” said the Charter’97 coordinator Zmitser Bandarenka, commenting on the statement of Yury Zhadobin concerning opposition activities.

8:41 Political prisoner faces 3 more years in prison

Today a trial over Artur Finkevich will start in Mahilyou. He faces three more years of imprisonment for alleged violation of the regime.

8:22 KGB head thinks threat to national security comes not from opposition

Yury Zhadobin, head of the Committee of State Security (KGB) spoke about the opposition on his first press conference on his new position. Having reported about capture of foreign spies, he said he knew the opposition by names and it consisted of 1767 “destructive elements,” but they didn’t threaten the national security.