On Thursday leaders of the leading oppositional parties of Belarus made a common statement balming the opnening of a criminal case against chairman of the United Civil Party Anantol Lyabedzka, who is accused of defaming President Alyaksandr Lukashenka. In this document it is said that “No doubts that it is not a legal act, but an attempt of reprisal against dissent,” the document states.

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At the meeting with journalists and persons in charge of cultural and educational activities the newly appointed Minister of Culture of Latvia Helena Demakova, who was a member of the working group on Belarus of the PA OSCE and visited Minsk, stated that she would not meet Belarusian Ambassador in Riga. Helena Demakova said that she plans to cooperate more with the countries of the European Union, which member Latvia becomes on May 1, and not with Russia. As for Belarus, Latvian minister of culture spoke on this subject even more categorically: “I would not meet with the Belarusian Ambassador, as far as Lukashenka is in power”, Radio Svaboda informs.

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Zubr activist Mikita Sasim today afternoon goes out of prison after a 10-day arrest. Sasim have been arrested according to court decision for dissemination of a newspaper “Supraciw” in the Baranavichy college of light industry. Mikita Sasim organized and headed an action when several dozens members of the Belarusian Republican Youth Union joined the oppositional movement of resistance Zubr. The arrest of the activist was a reprisal of the authorities for his political activity. Together with Sasim on the same charges Andrei Chyzh was arrested for 7 days. The solidarity with the Baranavichy activists of Zubr was expressed by democratic political leaders, human rights watchdogs, Belarusians from all parts of Belarus and from abroad.

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