Stop 760!

11:28 No free places in Palace of Republic for unwanted entrepreneurs

A business conference “On Development Problems of Business and Improving Business Climate in the republic of Belarus” is held to day in the Palace of the Republic in Minsk. But entrepreneurs’ leaders, who organised protest actions on 10 and 21 January, were not allowed to the conference. 

12:25 Ales Makaeu: In prison we were singing “Mighty God”

A member of the coordinating council of small businessmen Ales Makaeu has been discharged from prison in Aktrestsun Street. He was on hunger strike of protest for 15 days. 

22 people sentenced to 15 days of arrest for participation in the entrepreneurs’ protest action on 10 January, have been released today. Among them are Anatol Shumchanka, leader of the republican public organisation “Perspektiva,” and Anatol Lyabedzka, head of the United Civil Party. 

16:48 Council of Europe urges Belarusian authorities to release all political prisoners

Participants of Conference of International Non-Governmental Organisations (INGOs) of the Council of Europe expresses its deep concern with the situation of human rights in Belarus. 

14:55 Criminal case has been initiated against participant of market vendors rally (Photo)

A criminal action has been initiated against an activist Andrei Kim, one of the participants of the protest rally of small businessmen on January 21. The young man has been charged with “violence or a threat of violence against policemen” (Article 364 of the Criminal Code). Under this Article the young man faces up to 6 years of imprisonment. 

9:15 Viktar Kryval: Lukashenka ashamed to look into eyes of entrepreneurs

“Entrepreneurs have to resort to political means to solve economic problems,” Viktar Kryval, activist of the campaign “For Free Development of Business,” said commenting statements of Alyaksandr Lukashenka. 

18:37 Market Vendors Penalized by Huge Fines and Arrests

On January 22 participants of the third protest rally of entrepreneurs were standing trial in the courts of Tsentralny and Maskouski districts of Minsk. Individual entrepreneurs protest against discriminatory decree No. 760, which has forced them out of business since the New Year. 

13:08 Lukashenka finally responded to entrepreneurs

Participants of the rally of entrepreneurs held yesterday in Minsk required Lukashenka to come to them. Lukashenka scared and didn’t come. But after the demonstration was over, he went “bravely” for the people. “... they apparently need this destabilisation. We won’t let calm and quiet Minsk be turned into a bustling city,” BelTA quotes Lukashenka. 

9:18 Photo-report from rally of entrepreneurs in Minsk

Belarusian entrepreneurs held a protest action in the Belarusian capital today. Heavy forces of militia equipped with truncheons and shields were rushed up to the peaceful protesters. Navumau, minister of internal affairs, was in charge the operation. 

17:19 New VIDEO from rally of entrepreneurs in Minsk

Today in Minsk Belarusian individual entrepreneurs have held a protest rally. A numerous column of participants of the rally marched from October Square to the House of Government to demand a meet gin with Prime Minister. Policemen disbanded protesters and forced them out of the center of the city. There are persons aggrieved. 

16:57 Police to give legal treatment of protesters’ actions

Policemen have detained a number of participants of the unsanctioned protest in Minsk, Interfax was informed by the Main Internal Affairs Directorate of Minsk. “There have been isolated cases of arrests of the unsanctioned action’s participants. At the moment the number of the detainees is being,” Main Internal Affairs Directorate source said. They have also noted that “police is to give legal treatment to the actions of the unsanctioned action’s participants”. 

11:46 Rally of entrepreneurs in Minsk: on-line report (updating, Photo)

Belarusian entrepreneurs continue their protest action in the Belarusian capital. A large column of participants of the action has gone from October Square to the House of Government to require a meeting with the prime minister. The militia has begun to disperse the protesters and push them to the neighbouring streets. On-line report from the protest action is to begin on our site at 12.00pm (Minsk time). 

10:24 Political prisoner in jail on Akrestin Street wasn’t allowed to receive congratulations on his birthday

Administration of the special prison facility on Akrestin Street refused to pass greeting cards to Anatol Shumchanka. 

9:03 Rally of entrepreneurs to take place in Minsk at midday today

Belarusian entrepreneurs are going to take to October (Kastrychnitskaya) Square in Minsk today. They continue to demand the authorities should cancel the decree 760, forbidding entrepreneurs to employ people except for close relatives. As the protestors think, the decree ruins their business and makes many people jobless. The previous action took place in the Belarusian capital on 10 January. Small businessmen are going to go on an indefinite strike without paying taxes from 1 February. On-line report from the protest action is to begin on our site at 12.00pm (Minsk time). 

8:53 Actions of solidariy in Minsk. 10 people arrested (Photo)

Actions of solidarity with political prisoners took place in Minsk on 16 January. Activists of the civil campaign “Jeans for Freedom” came out to Independence Avenue, Nyamiga Street, Yubileinaya Square, and Sport Palace. 

9:20 Arrests of entrepreneurs all over the country

Valadar Tsurpanau, organiser of the rally of entrepreneurs in Magilou, held on Lenin Square on 10 January, was arrested. 

14:59 Entrepreneurs to take to streets on January 21 at noon

On January 21 at noon small businessmen are to gather of October Square. This time they plan to protest not only against the discriminatory decree No. 760, but as a response to unjustifiably cruel reaction of the regime to the protest rally on January 10. It has been told to the Charter’97 press-center by the leader of the campaign “For Free Development of Enterprise” Viktar Harbachou. 

12:26 Arrests go on

Syargei Parsyukevich was arrested for 15 days for participation on the unauthorised rally of entrepreneurs on 10 January. Activist of the entrepreneurs’ movement Syargei Parsyukevich from Vitebsk has had a trial in the court of the Central district of Minsk today, Radio Svaboda reports. 

9:02 Detained Demonstrators Tortured by Cold and Hunger

On January 12 human rights and youth organizations managed to bring food parcels to most of the convicted participants of the protest rally which was held on January 10 in Minsk. At 10 a.m. relatives and friends of arrested formed a queue near the entrance of the prison. 

13:35 Entrepreneur arrested after his meeting with administration of internal affairs department

Alyaksandr Makayeu, leader of entrepreneurs’ movement has been detained today in the Minsk center. As Makayeu said to the Charter’97 press center, he was detained just after he left the building of the Minsk city executive committee, where he had a meeting with Alyaksandr Naidzenka, deputy head of the city internal affairs department. The theme of the meeting was conditions, in which prisoners having been detained on 10 January, were kept on Akrestin Street. 

13:18 Solidarity of entrepreneurs

Entrepreneurs from Brest expressed their solidarity with the demands, made at the protest demonstration in Minsk, and decided on continuing the strike until all people, sentenced on 10 January, are released. 

13:16 Protesters Beaten up in Paddy Wagons by Riot Policemen

All arrested participants of the protest rally against the economic policy of the government towards small business in Belarus held on January 10 in Minsk are placed to Akrestsin Street prison. 

11:39 Authorities trying to intimidate entrepreneurs by arrests

The participants of the entrepreneurs’ rally, held in Minsk on 10 January, have trials today. Individual entrepreneurs were protesting against Alyaksandr Lukashenka’s decree, which deprives many of them of work since 1 January. 

9:24 Decision to railroad leader of entrepreneurs

The court of Barysau region, which earlier acquitted Viktar Harbachou, the leader of the campaign “For free development of entrepreneurship”, has reopened the case on petty hooliganism charges. thus the court cancelled its decision, Belapan was informed by V. Harbachou. 

9:10 EU condemns arrests of demonstrants

The Council of the European Union condemns crackdown of the entrepreneurs’ demonstration, arrests and using force towards the protesters. Christina Gallah, spokeswoman of the EU High Commissioner for Foreign Policy and Security, said it. “We condemn arrests and sentences to the people detained. We do not regard every of them other as politically motivated one,” the spokeswoman said. 

15:30 US Embassy condemns harsh sentences to demonstrators

Beating up and arrests of people cannot be justified, US Embassy representative, Deputy Chief of Mission Jonathan Moore told to Radio Svaboda in the court of Maskouski district of Minsk. 

15:08 6 detained people declare hunger strike in court room

6 participants of the protest action of individual entrepreneurs, who were guarded to trial to the court of the Minsk Maskouski district, went on hunger strike. 

14:32 Andrei Sannikov: “More and more new people would join resistance”

“The demonstration on January 10 has shown that more and more new people, new social and professional groups fed up with this regime are to join the resistance. Entrepreneurs have shown an example of selfless, courageous struggle for their rights,” told the Charter’97 coordinator Andrei Sannikov, commenting on protest rally of entrepreneurs in Minsk. 

13:52 Some participants of protest action beaten brutally by police

Vera Stramkouskaya, lawyer of the detained on 10 January participants of the entrepreneurs’ action, demanded to call an emergency ambulance to the court of the Central district. 5 activists were guarded to the court, all of them have injuries. 

12:06 Head of Interior Ministry: “My eyes were dimmed with tears yesterday when I saw my officers being beaten up”

The Interior Minister of Belarus Uladzimir Navumau will insist on harsh legal assessment of the actions of the participants of the meeting held on January 10 in Minsk. 

12:00 Stop 760!

A photo report of the protest rally of market vendors in Minsk by Nasha Niva photographer Yuliya Darashkevich. 

11:15 Arresting Lyabedzka riot policemen stole city bus

The leader of the United Civil Party Anatol Lyabedzka was detained after the protest of market vendors. The arrest took place in a bus. At the bus stop near the Central Post office Anatol and 5 more protesters entered the bus. Riot policemen in black followed them instantly. 

10:47 Riot policemen beaten up underage guy in pedestrian subway

Yesterday after the protest of market vendors underage Artur Kutsukha was beaten up by riot policemen in mufti. As the Charter’97 was told in the Committee for Defence of Repressed “Solidarity”, 17-year-old guy was seized in a pedestrian subway in Independence Square, knocked on the ground and beaten up. 

10:42 Alyaksandr Taustyka: “If regime won’t make terms, our struggle would turn into political one”

“In case at the top level the authorities speak about different kinds of dialogues, with West, with Russia, and even to some extent with political opposition, the yesterday events have shown that the only dialogue the regime is not ready for is the dialogue with its own people. They are talking with their nation exclusively from a position of strength. As only threats, intimidation by some punitive actions against us are heard from the authorities, once again demonstrates that the today’s Belarusian regime is totally anti-people’s regime,” one of the leaders of the entrepreneurs’ movement Alyaksandr Taustyka to Charter’97 press-center, commenting on the yesterday’s protest rally of entrepreneurs. 

18:40 Anatol Shumchanka detained

After the protest rally of market vendors near Minsk hotel the leader of the public association “Perspektiva” Anatol Shumchanka was detained. As the entrepreneur told to the Charter’97 press-center, he is in the police department of Maskouski district at the moment. Charges haven’t been presented to him. 

17:33 About 20 demonstrants detained in Minsk

About 20 people were detained after the action of entrepreneurs in Minsk. All detained people are kept in the internal affairs departments of Central and Maskouski districts. 

17:02 Entrepreneurs are fed up! (Photo report)

Rallies of market vendors were held on January 10 in the center of Minsk. They protested against discriminatory decree No. 760 which came into force on January 1, 2008. The decree prohibits entrepreneurs to hire workers except their close relatives. 

16:50 Belarusians blocked Independence Avenue (Video)

Actions of protests of entrepreneurs were held today in Minsk. People, whose business is being ruined by Lukashenka’s decrees, were protesting in the city center for some hours.