A picket in support of Aliaksandr Kazulin in the Part of 50th Anniversary of the Great October in Minsk was attacked by skin-heads. 15 people in black cloths broke desk with portrait of Aliaksandr Kazulin. They torn leaflets with call to release Kazulin into peaces and burnet them. They also torn streaming with slogan “Freedom to Kazulin!”. During this actions they were shouting “Lukashenka is our president!” and “Kazulin is a criminal. His place is in prison!”
Supporters of ex-candidate on presidency, ex-rector of Belarusian State University Aliaksandr Kazulin send request on several picketings to support of their leader, who stays in Zhodzina prison. They asked to allow picketings in 9 most animated places of the city. But the executive commity refused to allow the picketings. The officials said that the only place for such actions was stadium “Stroitel” but it has been closed on reconstruction.
Criminal case of youth leader Arthur Finkevich sent to court, BelaPAN informs. According to public activist Barys Garetski date of trial will be appointed within two days.
Another political flash-mob took place in Minsk on April 16. More than hundred people were reading constitution near building of KGB. Participants of the action wanted to attract attention to violations of Constitution by Belarusian authorities.
Democracy`s uphill battle against the Soviet-style regime of President Alexander Lukashenko in Belarus received a boost Monday from the European Union, which blocked Mr. Lukashenko and 30 officials from his regime from traveling to the EU. This travel ban groups the Belarusian leadership with the likes of Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe. Enacting this visa restriction is laudable and should be accompanied by greater sanctions on Mr. Lukashenko`s ability to keep himself in power, including actions to freeze his personal assets and a serious effort to curtail his sale of arms to other states, which include Iran and Sudan.
Action of solidarity with Belarus was carried out on April 16 in Paris. Activists of civil organization “Paris-Minsk” cam to Place of the Bastille with white-red-white flag and banners. They had personal numbers on their cloths as a sign of solidarity with Belarusian political prisoners.
Russian and Belarusian defense officials will hold talks April 21 on holding joint military exercises in June of this year, the defense minister said Monday.
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe yesterday held debates on Belarus. A resolution calling the Belarusian elections falsified was passed by an overwhelming majority. The Assembly noted the negative role of Russia in the effort to legitimize the falsification. Russia will become responsible for the future democratization of Belarus, however, when it becomes chairman of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe in May.
On April 16 on Day of solidarity with residents of Warsaw came to Russian embassy in Poland to say “NO” to support of Belarusian dictatorship. The protesters lit candles and they were holding portraits of disappeared politicians and a journalist. “We think that G-8 summit planned on July of 2006 shouldn’t take place in Russia in case terror against opposition and civil society is stopped in Belarus, political prisoners are not released and cases of disappeared politicians not investigated,” - said one of organizers of the action, chairman of Union for democracy in Belarus Antos Tsialezhnikau.
Day of solidarity with Belarusian political prisoners, disappeared politicians, independent journalists, with everyone who struggle for freedom and democracy in Belarus was carried out on April 16. Belarusians came to Russian embassy to express protest to support of Lukashenka by Russian authorities. Participants of the action declared that G-8 summit planned on July of 2006 shouldn’t take place in Russia in case terror against opposition and civil society is stopped in Belarus, political prisoners are not released and cases of disappeared politicians not investigated. Supporters of this demand lit candles near Russian embassy, on Independence avenue and on Niamiga river. The candles were also lit in windows all over Belarus. Belarusians were supported in many countries: Poland, Ukraine, Russia, Canada, USA, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Netherlands, Belgium, Sweden, Great Britain, Germany and other countries.
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