Zubr coordinator Aleh Miatselitsa was thrown behind bars again. Miatselitsa was supposed to be released today at 8.10 p.m. from Administrative prison in Akrestsin street. But Zubr activists who came to meet him were said that Miatselitsa had been released earlier - at 2.30 p.m under order issued by chief of the prison.
What are the chances of presidential candidates at the elections for March 3 taking into account the recent events? The Charter’97 press center was told about that by well-known Belarusian politicians, public activists and independent experts.
Numerous graffiti with slogan “The new!” appeared everywhere in Belaazersk. Besides hundreds of leaflets with slogan “We want the new one!” were distributed in this town in Brest region.
13 persons have been brutally beaten up in Minsk yesterday during detentions in front of the police department of Kastrychnitski district. “Most of the people were placed to hospitals with head and back traumas, some of them have fractured ribs. People were beaten up by the same group of people in mufti, who made shots at the car of Kazulin’s activists and beaten up the presidential candidate in the Palace of railway Workers in the morning. We have submitted 9 statements to the prosecutor’s office of Maskouski district with an appeal to bring up a criminal action for hooliganism against a group of unknown persons,” the Charter’97 press center was told by the head of Kazulin’s HQ’s legal department.
A driver of Audi, at which yesterday unknown in mufti made a shot, is at the prosecutor’s office now. Accusation can be presented to him. As the headquarters of the single candidate for presidency Alyaksandr Kazulin informs, Yury Radzivil, a driver of the Audi, which wheels were shot at by unknown law-enforcers in mufti yesterday by the police department of Kastrychnitski district, is in the prosecutor’s office of Maskouski district of Minks at the moment.
In Pruzhany, Brest region, activists of the headquarters of the democratic candidate for presidency Alyaksandr Milinkevich have solves a question of mobile agitation. As there is little time for election campaigning, cars were used for agitation. A stand with posters of Milinkevich is travelling round villages and settlements from morning till night. It provokes citizens’ genuine interest to the upcoming events and to alternative candidates.
All activists of Alyaksandr Kazulin’s headquarters detained on March 2 were released on the same day. “Several reports about administrative violations have been drawn up against several persons. We do not know when trials will take place,” told press secretary of Kazulin’s campaign.
Yesterday at Freedom Square, where thousands of Belarusians gathered for a meeting with the leader of democratic forces Alyaksandr Milinkevich, another candidate for presidency, former university rector Alyakasndr Kazulin appeared. He was released from a police department at 6 p.m. The candidate said that an administrative action had been initiated against him for a affray in the Palace of Railway Worker`s Culture. In reality, vice versa, Kazulin was knocked on the floor and beaten up by SWAT commander Dzmitry Paulichenka. Besides, two criminal actions are brought up against him. One of them based on the fact of an incident in the National press-center on February 17. The candidate was not let in violently. The second one was initiated for breaking a glass of Lukashenka`s portrait in the police department of Kastrychnitski district of Minsk. Alyaksandr Kazulin gave an exclusive interview to the Charter`97 press center.
Today, commenting on arrest of the candidate for presidency Alyaksandr Kazulin, the chairperson of te Central election Commission of Belarus Lidziya Yarmoshyna said: "According to the Constitution, citizens cannot take part in the elections after a judgment`s entry into legal force. Until the judgement haven`t been put into force, Kazulin has a right to take part in the elections as a candidate, even if he would be taken into custody," Yarmoshyna said. She hasn`t given evaluation to the actions of SWAT commander Dzmitry Paulichenka, who had beaten up the candidate.
On March 2 organisers of independent obsrvation at presidential elections Milakay Astrejka, Enira Bronitskaya, Alyaksandr Shalajka and Tsimafej Dranchuk were presented accusations under Article 193 Part 2 (heading an unregistered public association, entrenching upon rights and resopnsibilities of citizens). Under this article they face an arrest for up to 6 months, or restriction of liberty for up to 3 years. The Charter`97 press center was informed about that by the lawyer of A. Shalajka Vera Stramkouskaya.
Alyaksandr Lukashenka said that he didn`t remember names of abducted and murdered politicians and a journalist. "It`s a shame!" said Lukashenka in a statement, addressing the so-called "All-Belarusian People`s Assembly"."Election campaign is underway, and the US President, (such an empire in the world!) recieves two of our women, I don`t remember their names, wives of `abducted` or who they are. What has it been done for? He does not know many heads of states, so why has he recieved them? To spite Lukashenka. Look, we shall democratize Belarus as well... First you must democratize yourself, and then you would democratize us. We see your democracy is in blood", Lukashenka reacted to the meeting of the US President with the wives of disappeared Anatol Krasouski and Dzmitry Zavadsky. The leaders of the civil initiative "We Remember" Iryna Krasouskaya and Svyatlana Zavadskaya were recieved by George Bush on February 27.
Aleksandr Milinkevich displayed a blue scarf to a crowd of his supporters on March 2, saying that this is the color of Belarus` democratic forces. "I`m looking into your eyes and see that we`ll be able to win because a majority are behind us," he said. "Freedom, truth and justice are behind us."
The European Commission, the executive body of the European Union (EU), expressed concern on Thursday over reports of disruption in Belarus` presidential race. "The commission is deeply worried by press reports of serious violations of the campaigning rights of the election candidates in Belarus in the run up to the March 19 presidential election," said EU commissioner for external relations Benita Ferrero-Waldner.
The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) expressed concern about violent arrests of presidential candiate Aleksandr Kozulin and his supporters in Minsk on Thursday. "Any arrest of a candidate during an election campaign raises concerns and needs immediate clarification by the authorities," Ambassador Christian Strohal, director of the ODIHR, said in the statement issued later in the day.
Police today turned on journalists in Belarus trying to cover an attack by plainclothes police officers on an opposition candidate in March 19 presidential elections. The Committee to Protect Journalists condemned the assault.
Freedom House strongly condemns today`s beating and detention of opposition presidential candidate Alyaksandr Kazulin by the Belarusian police. Kazulin was trying to enter the All-Belarusian People`s Assembly, headed by President Alyaksandr Lukashenka, which opened in Minsk today.
Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee for Defense and Security Givi Targamadze said on March 2 that the Belarus authorities have refused to let the Georgian side observe the presidential elections in the country, scheduled for March 19.
Belarusian police on Thursday unleashed their worst yet attack against opposition groups in the run-up to March 19 presidential election in which incumbent leader Alexander Lukashenka is seeking a third term. An opposition candidate was beaten and detained, while about 60 his followers had been arrested by police throughout Minsk as the authorities moved to crush the group ahead of the vote.
The First National Channel, also known as Belarusian Television (BT), did not air a full speech by presidential candidate Aleksandr Kozulin on Thursday, making edits to the tape that cut the pre-recorded address to voters short.
A source with the Minsk city government`s police department said that a district prosecutor`s office was expected to consider whether police had the right to open fire on a car with Aleksandr Kozulin`s aides inside. The Oktyabrsky district prosecutor visited the scene of the incident on Thursday, an officer with the prosecutorial agency told BelaPAN.
On 2 March Minsk City Economic Court satisfied all demands of the main economic board of the presidential administration. The court ruled that the Union of Belarusian Writers was to pay the rent for three years (more than 55 million rubles) and leave its office that is based in the House of Literary Worker. Besides, on 3 March the Supreme Court will consider the case concerning the liquidation of this public organization.
President Alexander Lukashenko on Thursday told Western critics to stay out of Belarus`s affairs, while an opposition rival challenging his bid for re-election was beaten by security forces and detained for several hours.
The presidential election campaign in Belarus is going on “not easily and with tension”, incumbent President Alexander Lukashenko has said. “The campaign costs nerves and strength. I have set the task not to be dragged in provocations of the opposition,” he said at the 3rd All-Belarusian Assembly on Thursday.
State Department official David Kramer said Thursday, the White House condemned the beating and arrest of candidate for the President’s post, former rector of the Belarusian State University Aliaxandar Kazulin and called the acting Government of the country to ensure free and democratic election. “We have warned them, if such incidents become frequent, we will respond immediately, - AFP quotes D.Kramer. - We conduct rigid surveillance over those trying to provoke violence or to forge the election outcome”.
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