Alyaksandr Zdvizhkou, political prisoner
The Minsk City Court sentenced Alyaksandr Zdzvizhkou, former editor of the newspaper “Zgoda,” to 3 years of imprisonment in medium security colony on 18 January, 2008. Zdzvizhkou was found guilty of fomenting of national and religious enmity and discord. The trial was closed, and only a result part of the verdict was read out to journalists on parties’ request.
The article “Political Creative Ideas” illustrated with caricatures, including those depicting the Prophet Mohammed, was published in the newspaper on 18 February, 2006. The KGB initiated a criminal case over the fact of the caricature publishing in February 2006, after the inspection of the KGB and prosecutor’s office.
The inspection was carried on the ground of claim of the Belarusian Muslim communities and the Committee on Religion and Nationalities to the law enforcement bodies of the republic.
The newspaper “Zgoda” was banned in the middle March 2006 by a decision of the Supreme Court of Belarus.
Topic: Alyaksandr Zdvizhkou, political prisoner
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16:54 Alyaksandr Zdzvizhkou: “I hope for best for me and for my country” 6
Journalist Alyaksandr Zdzvizhkou, sentenced for reprinting Danish caricatures of the Prophet Mohammed, gave the Charter’97 press center one of his first interviews at large.
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14:54 European Parliament’s Resolution: Freedom to political prisoners, freedom of speech, fair election
The European Parliament at its plenary session by unanimous vote adopted a resolution on the situation Belarus. The Belarusian authorities are urged to release political prisoners, grant freedom of speech and hold free election. The document expresses solidarity with the united democratic opposition of Belarus and “all Belarusian citizens who strive for an independent, open and democratic Belarus based on the rule of law”.
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14:21 Political Prisoner Alyaksandr Zdzvizhkou Released (Photo) photo 23
Today Alyaksandr Zdzvizhkou, a political prisoner, has been released under the Supreme Court decision.
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9:59 Elisabeth Schroedter: “No concessions”
“Belarusian authorities will have no concessions, unless violating of human rights is stopped in the country. It’s not enough for Lukashenka to release some political prisoners, bargaining with us,” MEP Elisabeth Schroedter said in the interview to Deutsche Welle about the resolution on Belarus adopted on 21 February.
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8:46 Journalist Zdzvizhkou transferred to prison hospital due to vision troubles
Mother of journalist Alyaksandr Zdzvizhkou, sentenced to three years in prison for printing caricatures on the Prophet Mohammed, visited the prison hospital and learnt the reasons of hospitalisation. As a doctor of the neurology unit said to Hanna Zdzvizhkova, vision of the former deputy editor of the newspaper “Zhoda” declined.
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13:44 Reporters without Borders call to release Alyaksandr Zdzvizhkou
Human rights organisation Reporters without Borders calls to release Alyaksandr Zdzvizhkou, former editor of the newspaper “Zhoda” and present political prisoner, who had been sentenced to 3 years of imprisonment in medium security colony for reprinting cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed.
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10:40 Belarusians call upon all prisoners of conscience (Photo)
Rallies urging the authorities to release all political prisoners were held on January 16 in many parts of Minsk. Young activists of the civil campaign “Jeans for Freedom” gathered in the streets with portraits of prisoners of conscience.
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11:17 PACE President: “Release of all political prisoners is our unfaltering demand”
The release of all political prisoners by the Belarusian authorities is an “unfaltering” demand of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (PACE), PACE President Lluis Maria de Puig said in an interview to BelaPAN. The politician stressed that the recent early release of Dzmitry Dashkevich and Artur Finkevich, both members of an unregistered opposition youth group Malady Front, “has not gone unnoticed.” He expressed hope that the release was part of “a pattern of conclusive and consistent signs that the Belarusian leadership is prepared to get closer to Europe.”
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17:37 Zmitser Bandarenka: “Opposition does not let its people down!”
“Release of Artur Finkevich is a great joy for his family, friends, for all normal people in Belarus. It’s our common victory,” stated the Charter’97 coordinator Zmitser Bandarenka, commenting on today’s release of the political prisoner Artur Finkevich.
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10:55 Paval Sevyarynets: “There are more dissent criminal cases today than in Soviet time”
The situation with human rights in Belarus is getting worse, representatives of the oppositional political parties say.
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14:31 Embassy Statement on January 21 Protest, Sentence against Journalist
U.S. diplomats, together with diplomats from other embassies, observed the demonstrations held January 21 on October Square and Independence Square in Minsk. Actions taken against the peaceful demonstrators -- including arrests and forceful dispersal -- represent restrictions of fundamental human rights.
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13:19 Why hasn’t been Zdvizhkou sentenced to death by hanging? 17
Iranian court almost at the same time as Belarusian one has passed a sentence in the case of insulting the Prophet Muhammad. It is worth mentioning that the punishment was identical, 3 years of imprisonment.
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15:42 Editor-in-chief Imprisoned for 3 Years for Cartoons of Muhammad 2
Minsk City Court has sentenced the former editor-in-chief of Zhoda newspaper Alyaksandr Zdzvizhkou to 3 years of imprisonment in a colony with a reinforced regime.
Interview
Opinion
