Activists of the public associations of Belarus believe that mass liquidation of non-governmental democratic organizations can influence the course of the this year election campaign critically. The organization which registration had been cancelled will not be able to nominate their members for election commissions and for observers.

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Citing the arrest of prominent politician and business activist Mikhail Marinich, the United States May 6 again called on the government of Belarus "to end its assault on civil society, the media and the political opposition." U.S. diplomat Douglas Davidson told the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna that Belarus continues to follow "a pattern of selective enforcement that targets opposition figures, political parties, the independent media, and NGOs attempting to exercise their right to freedom of speech, assembly, and association as reflected in OSCE commitments." He urged Belarus to release Marinich "immediately" and also expressed concern over "the persecution of the Belarusian Helsinki Committee... as well as Anatoly Lebedko, the Chairman of the United Civic Party, and a leading opposition figure." Following are Davidson`s remarks.

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Nine people were detained on 7 March in Navapolatsk (Vitsebsk Region) during an event entitled "The chain of people who care". Belapan learnt at the press service of the BPF-Revival Party [Belarusian People`s Front], a Radio Liberty correspondent and BPF-Revival Party member, Vintses Mudrow, the chairman of the local branch of the Belarusian Social Democratic Hramada, Ihar Valyayew, the leader of the local cell of the United Civic Party, Alyaksandr Tsyarentsyew, and the head of the local branch of the BPF-Revival Party, Dzmitryy Salawyow, were among those detained. Also arrested were United Civic Party members Syarhey Zabrodski, Valeryy Shawchenka, Ihar Sukharukaw, a BPF-Revival Party activist, Alyaksandr Trubkin and a passer-by, Ihar Makanu.

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The largest private college in Belarus was forced to suspend classes after the former Soviet republic`s education ministry failed to register it by the required date, the college`s officials said. "We stopped working because we realize that if we do not, the university will be inevitably closed," the European humanitarian university`s external affairs aide Alexander Mikheishin told AFP.

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KGB and riot forces In Hrodna purge a private apartment of the chairman of the All-Nation Strike Committee of the Businessmen of the Republic of Belarus, member of the Europen coalition “Free Belarus” Uladzimir Levanewski, and carried out a search. The search was implement also in private dwellings of his mother and mother-in-law. Valery Levanewski and his son Uladzimir now are serving a sentence of 15 days for organizing a protest action of businessmen on May 1. Participants of the rally called upon Lukashenka’s resignation. Officers of the KGB also searched the apartment and summer cottage of the vice chairman of the All-Nation Strike Committee of the Businessmen Alyaxandr Vasilyew. The home of his wife’s sister has been searched as well. The city prosecutor’s office had issued the writs for searching these apartments in connection with bringing up a criminal action against dissemination of printed materials insulting honor and dignity of Alyaxandar Lukashenka, told Alyaxandr Vasilyew to the press center of the Charter-97.

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Civil Initiative “We remember” thanks all participants of the action dedicated to memory of disappeared Yury Zaharenko, Anatoly Krasovsky, Victor Gonchar and Dmitry Zavadsky. Thank you for taking part in the action in different parts of the country. Thank you for your support in this difficult time. We also thank youth movement “Zubr” for assistance in organizing the action. Members of Civil Initiative “We remember”: Svetlana Zavadskaya, Yury Zavadsky, Olga Zaharenko, Elena Zaharenko, Yuliya Zaharenko, Irina Krasovskaya, Valeriya Krasovskaya, Kseniya Krasovskaya

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