Today the Pervomaisky district court of Minsk "legitimized" the authorities’ determination to retaliate another free journalist. Viktor Ivashkevich, editor-in-chief of the newspaper "Rabochy", was sentenced to two years of corrective labor for alleged insult and defamation of Lukashenko. The judicial lawlessness lasted for a week, but everything was predestined well in advance. People of different mind have to be punished in this country. The question arises only who will be next?
Charter`97 civil initiative`s press-center protests the regime`s actions. We support our colleague Viktor Ivashkevich in his desire to deliver truth to the people despite pressure, threats and repressions. They will never strangle the freedom of speech in Belarus!

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US Ambassador Stephan M. Minikes addressed on September 11 the OSCE Permanent Council session in Vienna, urging the OSCE to solve conflict over the AMG group, headquartered in Minsk. Following read the full text of the speech:

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Joint action “Requiem-2002”, marking the second anniversary since the killing of the Ukrainian journalist Georgy Gongadze and third – since the disappearance of the prominent Belarusian opposition figures Viktor Gonchar and Anatoly Krasovsky was held today, on September 16, in Prague. The action was held by the “Belarusian community abroad” and the Ukrainian political organizations in the Czech Republic.

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Belarus opened talks on the direct electric energy supplies from Lithuania. The Minister of energy of Belarus Vladimir Semashko submitted a written address to the Lithuanian Minister of agriculture Petras Chesny. Belarus wants the “Belenergo” concern to get a permission to obtain directly from the “Lithuanian energy” 2,5bln kilowatt hours of energy every year. Belarus’ solvency is guaranteed by the Swiss bank “Banque Bruxelles Lambert”.

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On September 16, during the third anniversary since the abduction of parliamentarian Viktor Gonchar and businessman Anatoly Krasovsky, the activists will hold numerous rallies in their memory throughout the country. “Want to know truth!” – these words will again sound during the “chains of those who care” in Mogilev, Brest, Bobruisk, Baranovichi, Gomel, Grodno, Vitebsk and Minsk. In the capital the action will take place at 5p.m. at the Oktyabroskaya square of Minsk.

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Visit of the leaders of the Belarusian united social-democratic party – Valentina Polevikova, Stanislav Shushkevich and Aleksei Korol – to their Lithuanian colleagues could have ended in a tragic way. Upon their return from Vilnius late at night Aleksei Korol was attacked near his house by two unidentified assailants. When a politician opened the door, they hit him with a heavy object on his head.

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On September 14-18, 2002 the Iraqi Minister of energy Sahban Faisal Mahdjub is on a visit to Minsk. The visit is being organized by the Iraqi side within the framework of the Protocol of the forth session of the Belarusian-Iraqi commission on trade and economic cooperation.

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Leadership of the Russian concern “Gasprom” has finally reacted to Alexander Lukahenko’s statement, voiced during the Sept.9 NTV air (first anniversary of his presidency). Then Lukashenko accused “Gasprom” over sabotage and deliberate failure of the fulfillment of contracts on gas supplies into Belarus: instead of the promised 30bln cubic meters they only pumped to Belarus 18.

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The head of the presidential administration of the South African Republic Esop Pahad will be on a visit to Belarus on September 16-18, 2002. The current visit can be considered a preparatory stage to the coming to Belarus of the South African president Tabo Mbeki, who expressed readiness to visit Belarus, when invited to do so by Alexander Lukashenko.

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In CIS Russia invests most into Belarus, Moldova and Armenia, while Ukraine and Kazakhstan invest into Russia more than other CIS states.

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The Mogilev car-building plant – one of the leading companies of the region – halted operation, while the workers were sent off for additional vacations.

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