President of Iran Mahmud Ahmadinezhad is sure that no external influence will spoil the relations between Iran and Belarus. “No external influence can spoil the relations between Iran and Belarus. Under such relations the parties do not bargain”, Mahmud Ahmadinezhad declared in his interview to the Belarusian television, which was broadcasted on Sunday evening.
The rights’ defender Katsayrina Sadouskaya was released from prison ahead of schedule on probation in compliance with the decision of the authorities of the prison for women and the judgment of the court. . As well as Mikalai Statkevich and Pavel Sevyarinets she has to attend militia regularly for marking her presence. She may not leave the city without the district militiaman’s permission. Katsyarina Sadouskaya served her term in prison for insulting Alyaksandr Lukashenka.
A member of the United Civil party Mikhail Pashkevich and an activist of the Belarusian Popular Front Youth Andrus Ihnatovich are released from the police department of Savetski district of Minsk after “identification”. They were detained in front of the court of Savetski district of Minsk, where the trial over the Young Front activists is held.
Opposition politician Alyaksandr Milinkevich and his allies have launched a campaign in support of four members of an opposition youth group called Malady Front accused of acting on behalf of an unregistered organization.
A former chairman of the Supreme Soviet of Belarus Stanislau Shushkevich, left the building of the court. The process continues though a pause was planned for 1 p.m. Stanislau Shushkevich told to journalists that in the court room people can hear fairly well how hundreds of people were chanting “Freedom!” outside the court. The defendants, the Young Front members, are quite self-possessed, while the judge, Ruslan Aniskevich, and his assistant, on the contrary, look very frightened, the politician said.
The trial in the case of Young Front activists continues in the court of Savetski district of Minsk. The prosecuting official stated during his speech that the Young Front wants to take political power in the country by the way of mass street actions. The confirmation of that were transcripts of phone conversations, as well as audio recordings of the Young Front meetings held on September 29, 2006 and January 25, January 29, February 1, February 4, 2007.
26-27 May the Congress of Democratic Forces was held in Minsk. The Congress delegates adopted by the majority vote the strategy of actions of the united democratic forces (UDF) suggested by the Political Council of UDF. The strategy assumes a “constructive dialogue with the authorities”. Its authors remark that” through talks it is possible to achieve consolidation of all safe and sound forces of the Belarusian society necessary for preservation of the social peace and solution of the problems facing the country”. “The condition proving the authorities’ readiness for mutual cooperation with the democratic forces is the release of all the political prisoners”, the document runs.
A deputy of the Parliamentary Assembly of the House of Europe and of Lithuanian Sejmas Emanuelis Zingeris has been denied entry to Belarus with an aim to take part in the Congress of the Democratic Forces.
Two young activists have been detained near the court of Savetski district of Minsk. They have come to support the Young Front activists. As the Charter’97 press-center has been informed by a human rights activist Iryna Toustsik, Andrus Ihnatovich and Mikhail Pashkevich were detained by policemen from a special task regiment (former riot police). They were detained in the moment the young men were behind the building of the court.
More than 400 persons have come to the court of Savetski district of Minsk today to express their protest against the trial over the members of the Young Front. People chant oppositional slogans, hold portraits of defendants, streamers “Freedom to Young Front activists!”, “We demand just trial!”, “Where is truth?”, “Let’s defend children from violence!”
U.S. Ambassador to Belarus Karen B. Stewart thinks the Congress of the Democratic Forces of Belarus is a very interesting event. “It was very interesting to me to see representatives of the democratic forces, to hear their discussion and debate about further activities,” told the diplomat in an interview to the BelaPAN. Karen B. Stewart has also added that she is glad that the Belarusian opposition had a chance to hold the Congress of the Democratic Forces at the territory of their own country.
A trial in the case of the Young Front activists has started in the court of Savetski district of Minsk. About 150 people are standing near the building of the court at the moment. People are holding portraits of defendants, posters: “No to violence!”, “We demand fair trial!”, “Let’s defend children from violence!”. Young activists are chanting: “Freedom!”, “Long live Belarus!”, “Power to people, freedom to the young!”, “Disgrace!”
At the moment about 150 persons have gathered near the court of Savetski district of Minsk, where the trial over Young Front activists was to start at 10 a.m. They have come to support the activists. The building of the court was cordoned of by riot policemen. As the Charter’97 press-center is informed by a Young Front activist Barys Haretski, he and other defendants are not allowed to enter the court room. Policemen explained their absurd actions by “having no place for them”.
Police in Minsk on May 27 arrested two Protestant priests following a religious service in the house of one of them, Syarhey Lukanin, a lawyer for New Life Church, told BelaPAN. According to him, at about 12:30 p.m., 10 police officers, half of them in civilian clothes, entered without permission the home of Antony Bokun, a pastor with St. John the Divine Church, on Dalhinawski Trakt Street.
On May 28 at 10 a.m. a court trial over the leaders of the Young Front activists is to start in the court of Savetski district of Minsk. The criminal action against Zmitser Khvedaruk (Fedaruk), Barys Haretski, Aleh Korban, Alyaksei Yanusheuski and Nasta Palazhanka has been opened for activites on behalf of an unregistered organization on charges related Article 193-1 of the Criminal Code of Belarus.
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