Today an influential analytical periodical Jane’s Defense Weekly has published an article about possible transit deliveries of Russian missiles to Iran via Belarus. Suspicions of the analysts of the journal focus on a recent contract: Belarus is buying Russian S-300 medium-range surface-to-air missile systems, which can soon get to Iran, the Radio Svaboda informs.
Policemen have opened a criminal investigation against an activist of street protests Mikhas Pankou. On April 13 supporters of 23-year-old Mikhas Pankou found out that he was detained by policemen of Savetski district of Minsk. Since April 11 he has been kept in the remand prison on charges relating draft evasion. Mikhas’ friends think that the guy has been detained for his active participation in street protests.
On April 10 a criminal case was initiated against a youth leader Syarhei Marchyk from Baranavichy for violating an Article 193 Part 1 of the Criminal Code (activities on behalf of an unregistered organization [the Young Front]). On April 13 investigative agencies held searches in the apartments of Syarhei Marchyk and Andrei Yuruts and Viktar Kislyuk. Printed materials, publications of independent newspapers, private computers were seized. At the moment the criminal action initiated against Syarhei Marchyk only, and others are witnesses in the case, the human rights center Viasna informs.
One of the activists of the electoral campaign, searched for by the legal aid group of Alyaksandr Kazulin’s HQ has been found. Alyaksandr Paplyka was among the people disappeared after the liquidation of the tent camp and the protest on March 25. As the Charter’97 press center was informed by the head of the legal aid group of Alyaksandr Kazulin, Aleh Vouchak, relatives of Alyaksandr Paplyka have called to the headquarters today and said that everything is alright with him. The fate of two more people is unknown.
Today a political prisoner, former Minister of Foreign Economic Ties and Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of Belarus Mikhail Marynich was released. In an exclusive interview to the Charter’97 press center the politician told: “Prison has convinced me that we should move ahead, we should fight for fast changes. We must develop our country and society. We must get rid of the dictatorship. Dictatorship is a dead-end”. The text of the interview with Mikhail Marynich follows:
The theater lovers, bundled into winter jackets, are crammed into a grim, unheated barroom on the outskirts of the capital. Shouts ring out from the back rows: "Louder, please." As authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko seeks to cement control over this ex-Soviet republic, extending his power from politics into the arts, Belarus` Free Theater has made bars and private apartments its stage.
The Minsk police department has rejected criticism that police violated rights of journalists arrested during street protests in the wake of last month`s presidential election.
An Iranian delegation led by Commerce Minister Masud Mir-Kazemi is to arrive in Minsk to take part in the April 19-22 seventh session of the Belarusian-Iranian commission for economic cooperation, Andrei Popov, spokesman for the Belarusian foreign ministry, said at Thursday’s briefing.
Belarusian Economy Minister Nikolai Zaichenko delivered a message from Aleksandr Lukashenko for Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad during his talks with Prime Minister Mohamed Naji Ottri in Damascus on Thursday.
The hearing of the justice ministry`s suit for the closure of the Union of Belarusian Writers (UBW) has been postponed again at the request of the Union.
On March 25 at the official internet site of the TV channel EuroNews (Euronews.net) on English version page in the column “News” a report and a picture of disband of a peaceful protest action in Minsk was published.
In Vorsha a criminal action has been initiated against Mikalay Razumau for libelling Alyaksandr Lukashenka. At one of the meetings with Alyaksandr Milinkevich Mr Razumau allegedly stated that the head of the state is implicated in assassinations of missing politicians, Zakharanka and Hanchar. Mikalay Razumau was detained and placed in custody in Vorsha. Now he is taken to Minsk, to Republican mental hospital in Navinki for forcible psychiatric examination.
Students are expelled from universities despite of the promise of Education Minister Alyaksandr Radzkou not to expel any students detained during the electoral campaign from their educational institutions. Courts and arrests of participants of street actions continue, the Radio Svaboda informs.
Today morning the political prisoner, former minister of foreign economic ties, Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of Belarus Mikhail Marynich has been released from the corrective labour colony UZH 15/1.
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