Henadz Bykaw, leader of the Belarusian Free Trade Union (BFTU), has complained to the head of the Vitsebsk regional government that the union`s members have been unable to obtain registration with the authorities in Navapolatsk [Vitsebsk Region]. The BFTU leader has informed Uladzimir Andreychanka, chairman of the Vitsebsk Regional Executive Committee, that the Navapolatsk city authorities have repeatedly denied registration to the BFTU`s Navapolatsk-Polatsk regional organization and its cells at Navapolatsk`s power and heating plant and the Naftan oil refinery.

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The requirement by some government organizations that job applicants indicate their nationality is evidence of "state anti-Semitism" in Belarus, Yakaw Basin, the Belarus director of the Union of Councils for Soviet Jews (UCSJ), told Belapan. Basin said that state agencies that put a nationality clause on their job application forms are violating Article 4 of the law "On National Minorities in the Republic of Belarus" and Article 50 of the constitution which stipulates that no-one may be forced to disclose his/her nationality.

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According to RFE/RL, Iwye District Police Board composed two reports. One of them, against the “Den-press” association, will be directed to the regional State control for alleged mistakes in the delivery note for the delivery of the newspaper from Smalensk printing house to Hrodna.

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ON the invitation of the leadership of the Democratic Left Alliance (SLD), coordinator of the European coalition “Free Belarus”, chairman of the Belarusian Social Democratic Party (Narodnaya Hramada) Mikola Statkevich, first deputy chair Ales Arastovich and member of the Presidium of the Executive committee of the party Yuri Markowski have visited Wlodawa, a Polish town in the Lublin voivodship. A festive presentation of the beginning of the election campaign for the European parliament elections has started there. These elections are topical from the moment Poland joined the European Union. On May 9 a TV bridge was organized between the neighboring towns, Wlodawa and Gubin, in which members of the SLD and Union of Labor were taking part, as well as Belarusian guests. The action was taking place at the active participation of Polish voters. The leader of the SLD, Krzysztof Janick, in his address told that he is positive that Belarusian Social Democrats are to lead Belarus to the European Union.

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A new section of our site is dedicated to another political prisoner of Belarus, ex-Minister of Foreign Economical Ties, Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassoador of Belarus, MP of the Supreme Soviet of the 12th and 13th callings, the head of the organization “Business Initiative” Mikhail Marynich. Another loud case appeared in Belarus, and the civil initiative Charter-97 expresses its support and solidarity with Mikhail Marynich. Our section “Loud cases” for today has information about the former Internal Affairs Minister, general Yuri Zakharanka, cameraman and reporter Dzmitry Zavadski, vice-speaker of the 13th Supreme Soviet Viktar Hanchar and businessman and public figure Anatol Krasowski, who disappeared without traces in the years of :Lukashenka’s regime; about journalists of the “Pahonya” newspaper Mikola Markevich and Paval Mazhejka, who were sentenced for imprisonment for publication of articles criticizing The Belarusian president, about the criminal actions brought up against the deputies Andrei Klimov, Uladzimir Kudzinaw and Valery Schukin, young leaders Paval Sevyarynets, Alyaxei Shydlowski, Vadzim Labkovich, Vadzim Kabanchuk, ex-Prime Minister Mikhail Chyhir, chairman of the Belarusian Social Democratic Party (Narodnaya Hramada) Mikola Statkevich, journalist Pavel Sharamet. Our solidarity has helped these people to go through the trial of imprisonment with honor. The authorities are trying to divide us, but despite of the fact that we belong to different parties, organizations and political blocs, we are to stick together and to fight for our people. For your and our freedom!

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On May 8 Axana Novikava was summoned to the Minsk transport prosecutor’s office for getting acquainted with the materials of the case as a defendant. On May 11 the lawyer of Novikava is to read the documents. The decision to put Axana Novikava on trial as a defendant was made by the senior investigator of the Minsk transport prosecutor office.

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