http://www.charter97.org/ Íîâîñòè èç Áåëàðóñè, Íàâ³íû ç Áåëàðóñ³, News from Belarus http://www.charter97.org/images/logo.gif http://www.charter97.org/ Íîâîñòè èç Áåëàðóñè, Íàâ³íû ç Áåëàðóñ³, News from Belarus be http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2008/5/8/6415/ Politics Thu, 08 May 2008 18:35:29 +0300 US Charge d’Affaires in Belarus Jonathan Moore doesn’t exclude his country will impose additional sanctions against Belarusian enterprises. http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2008/5/8/6397/ Politics Thu, 08 May 2008 18:34:41 +0300 Benita Ferrero-Waldner, EU’s Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy, said she was deeply disappointed with the latest events in Belarus. http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2008/5/8/6428/ Society Thu, 08 May 2008 17:44:45 +0300 International companies UPS, FedEX, TNT and DHL are not parcel carriers at the territory of Belarus. Such a poster emerged in the National airport “Minsk”. http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2008/5/8/6424/ Politics Thu, 08 May 2008 15:48:54 +0300 On May 8 after a 15 days arrest in a detention facility in the town of Staryja Darohi (Minsk district) a democratic activist Vyachaslau Siuchyk was released. “Cattle are kept in better conditions than inmates in Staryja Darohi prison. But the most awful thing is that these a standard conditions for every prison in Belarusian regional capital,” told the politician to the Charter’97 press-center. http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2008/5/8/6423/ Politics Thu, 08 May 2008 15:31:22 +0300 Activists of the civil campaign “European Belarus” hung out a big banner “Freedom for Kazulin!” in the Minsk center, on the bridge above Nyamiha Street. http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2008/5/8/6419/ Politics Thu, 08 May 2008 14:29:46 +0300 The head of the psychoneurologic department of Slonim central district hospital received a letter signed by the head of the local branch of the KGB Alyaksandr Mazalkou with an order to check the editor-in-chief of an independent newspaper “Gazeta Slonimskaya: Viktar Valadashchuk and his relatives, whether they are listed in databases of psychoneurologic and narcological dispensaries. http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2008/5/8/6416/ Politics Thu, 08 May 2008 13:27:19 +0300 Human rights organisation Amnesty International organises an action of support of American lawyer Emanuel Zeltser. http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2008/5/8/6408/ Politics Thu, 08 May 2008 10:35:28 +0300 Volha Kazulina has returned after a meeting with her father in prison. She has passed an answer of her father, political prisoner, to offensive comments of Alyaksandr Lukashenka during his annual address. Alyaksandr Kazulin has been sentenced to 5.5 years of a colony for organizing protest rallies against rigged presidential election results. http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2008/5/8/6406/ Politics Thu, 08 May 2008 09:58:35 +0300 On April 26 a DDOS-attack against the web-source “Belarusian partisan” started. The server of the site was attacked from 69 addresses in Paraguay, Amsterdam and South-Eastern Asia. On the same day the same problems were experienced by web-pages of Radio Svaboda and Charter’97. http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2008/5/8/6405/ Economics Thu, 08 May 2008 09:47:46 +0300 Alyaksandr Lukashenka touched a problem of prices during his visit to the Hrodna region. He said agricultural products prices would grow. http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2008/5/8/6403/ Politics Thu, 08 May 2008 09:35:03 +0300 Minsk dwellers can watch the results of an “ideological diversion” for some days. White and red tulips blossom near the entrance to the State Security Committee of Belarus (KGB) on Independence Avenue. http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2008/5/8/6401/ Politics Thu, 08 May 2008 09:00:19 +0300 United democratic forces candidates for parliamentary deputies try to regain public control over the executive authority. It is a keynote of the address to nation from democratic candidates for deputies of the “house of representatives,” which draft was approved on the session of the Presidium of the Political Council of the United Democratic Forces (UDF). http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2008/5/7/6394/ Politics Wed, 07 May 2008 18:11:23 +0300 David Merkel, deputy assistant secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs at the US Department of State said on an interview to Radio Svaboda that Washington can expand sanctions already implemented against the Belarusian regime because of massive violation of human rights. http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2008/5/7/6389/ Politics Wed, 07 May 2008 17:06:39 +0300 A warning and fine of 25 basic unit (875 000 rubles) was a judgement delivered by the Krupki district court to artist Ales Pushkin. http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2008/5/7/6386/ Politics Wed, 07 May 2008 16:03:52 +0300 On 3 May activists of the civil campaign “European Belarus” hung out national flags and banners calling to release political prisoners Alyaksandr Kazulin, Andrei Kim and Syarhei Parsyukevich in the Minsk city district Zakhad. http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2008/5/7/6385/ Politics Wed, 07 May 2008 15:45:44 +0300 Lawyer Dzmitry Harachka visited US citizen Emanuel Zeltser in the Belarusian KGB jail. As the lawyer told to the Charter’97 press center, his client continued to complain about health problems and about the fact he is not given necessary medicines. http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2008/5/7/6382/ Politics Wed, 07 May 2008 14:00:05 +0300 French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner on May 5 met with visiting Belarusian opposition politician Alyaksandr Milinkevich to discuss the situation in Belarus, BelaPAN said. http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2008/5/7/6381/ Politics Wed, 07 May 2008 13:58:10 +0300 The Brest City Executive Committee has denied permission for a rally that would mark nine years since the disappearance of opposition politician Yury Zakharanka. http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2008/5/7/6375/ Politics Wed, 07 May 2008 12:56:48 +0300 Svyatlana, widow of kidnapped ORT TV channel operator Zmitser Zavadsky, received a refuse from the deputy head of the Minsk city executive committee to her application on holding a picket in Minsk on 7 May, dedicated to the 9th anniversary of disappearance of General Yury Zakharanka. http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2008/5/7/6373/ Politics Wed, 07 May 2008 12:42:24 +0300 Valer Nadtachaeu, head of public relations and information center of the KGB, told the Belarusian TV on Sunday that members of spy ring operating in the country headed by Kurt Finley, allegedly illegally took videos and photographs of Belarusian citizens, and watched militia officers. http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2008/5/7/6372/ Politics Wed, 07 May 2008 12:23:00 +0300 “The regime has given up on dialogue and democratization by unleashing a real terror against political opposition and the civil society. That is why the democratic forces are to start realization of a different strategy,” believes the coordinator of the Charter’97 Zmitser Bandarenka. http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2008/5/7/6368/ Politics Wed, 07 May 2008 11:01:03 +0300 A banner with text “I love Belarus!” and national white-red-white flags appeared in Asipovichy town on Tuesday. A white-red-white flag was hung out even above the house, where militia officers live. http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2008/5/7/6367/ Politics Wed, 07 May 2008 10:46:28 +0300 The European Union called on Belarus to reconsider the decision on expelling American diplomats. http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2008/5/7/6355/ Politics Wed, 07 May 2008 08:29:46 +0300 Political prisoner Alyaksandr Kazulin replied to the statements by Alyaksandr Lukashenka about him, he said in his annual address to the “parliament.” http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2008/5/3/6329/ Politics Sat, 03 May 2008 12:26:00 +0300 Former presidential candidate Alyaksandr Kazulin has a meeting in the penal colony Vitsba-3 with his daughters Volha and Yulya on 3 May. http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2008/5/3/6328/ Politics Sat, 03 May 2008 12:10:44 +0300 Israeli ambassador to Belarus Zeev Ben-Arie doesn’t find it necessary to compare quantitatively facts of display of anti-Semitism in Belarus and the neighbouring countries, paying attention that such cases should be criticised and investigated more effectively. http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2008/5/3/6327/ Politics Sat, 03 May 2008 11:42:34 +0300 The US has officially warned Belarus, that Belarusian Embassy in Washington and the consulate general in New York can be closed, like the US Embassy in Minsk. http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2008/5/3/6326/ Politics Sat, 03 May 2008 11:26:06 +0300 The office of the Belarusian Popular Front party (BPF) received an order to dismiss criminal complaint “on the facts on window damage and drawing inscriptions on office’s door.” http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2008/5/3/6323/ Politics Sat, 03 May 2008 10:23:53 +0300 Yaraslau Hryshchenya, leader of the Baranavichy Young Front, activist Artsyom Lastavetski and Ales Pershak, detained ahead of Day of Europe, had administrative trials in Baranavichy on 2 May. http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2008/5/3/6317/ Politics Sat, 03 May 2008 09:05:32 +0300 9 years ago, on May 7, 1999 a former Interior Minister of Belarus Yury Zakharanka was forcibly abducted not far from his house. http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2008/5/3/6302/ Politics Sat, 03 May 2008 08:40:57 +0300 11 American diplomats are to leave Belarus on 3 May before noon. Four diplomats including US Charge d’Affaires Jonathan Moore, will remain in Minsk. On 30 April Jonathan Moore was given a list of US diplomats who had been declared persona non grata in Belarus and must leave the country within 72 hours. http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2008/5/2/6312/ Politics Fri, 02 May 2008 17:10:37 +0300 Marya Tulzhankova, Homel activist of the youth democratic movement, was released on 2 May after 7-day arrest. http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2008/5/2/6310/ Politics Fri, 02 May 2008 16:19:14 +0300 In the run-up to the World Press Freedom Day on May 3 at the web-site of the Belarusian Association of Journalists an on-line press-conference was held with the organization’s chairperson Zhana Litvina and her assistant Andrei Bastunets. http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2008/5/2/6301/ Society Fri, 02 May 2008 14:00:48 +0300 The pretrial detention centre in Valadarski Street in Minsk continues to dilapidate. At different times many political prisoners were serving term there, from the classics Yakub Kolas, among the last being Alyaksandr Kazulin and Andrei Kim. http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2008/5/2/6305/ Politics Fri, 02 May 2008 13:48:12 +0300 Mikola Statkevich, one of the leaders of the civil campaign “European Belarus,” chairman of the Belarusian Social Democratic Party (Narodnaya Hramada), was sentenced to 10 days of arrest by the Pershamaiski district court of Minsk for participation in May Day demonstration. The militia report, drawn up against the politician, says: “he was waving a blue with yellow stars flag, called through a megaphone to join the European Union, by that violating article 23.34 of the Administrative Code.” http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2008/5/2/6303/ Society Fri, 02 May 2008 13:36:33 +0300 A reproduction of Our Lady icon, installed on the chapel by artist Alyaksei Marachkin, was torn off. Act of vandalism happened at night. http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2008/5/2/6299/ Politics Fri, 02 May 2008 11:38:07 +0300 Yesterday a journalist of the newspaper “Belarusy i rynok” Henadz Barbarych was taken to the police department of Pershamajski district of Minsk. http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2008/5/2/6296/ Politics Fri, 02 May 2008 11:13:54 +0300 It has been told to his wife Natalya Parsyukevich by representatives of the remand prison in Valadarski Street in Minsk today morning. At the moment Syarhei Parsyukevich is kept there. http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2008/5/2/6295/ Politics Fri, 02 May 2008 10:58:37 +0300 US Charge d’Affaires Jonathan Moore said to the Charter’97 press center that there’s no formal decision on shutting the embassy in Minsk. http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2008/5/2/6293/ Politics Fri, 02 May 2008 10:18:30 +0300 More than 35 opposition activists from Minsk and regions were called to military enlistment offices in April. http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2008/5/2/6292/ Politics Fri, 02 May 2008 10:05:30 +0300 Lukashenka’s statements he said during his address to the “parliament” on 29 April may become a ground for legal process. http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2008/5/2/6289/ Politics Fri, 02 May 2008 09:10:59 +0300 Some national white-red-white flags appeared above the roofs of Minsk buildings ahead of 1 May. http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2008/5/2/6288/ Politics Fri, 02 May 2008 08:52:36 +0300 Andrei Kim has been visited by his mother in the prison hospital. The political prisoner was placed there because of eyes inflammation. http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2008/5/2/6284/ Politics Fri, 02 May 2008 08:27:06 +0300 All activists of the civil Campaign “European Belarus,” detained at the May Day demonstration in Minsk, were released but Mikola Statkevich. http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2008/5/1/6280/ Politics Thu, 01 May 2008 15:04:17 +0300 Riot militiamen arrested and beat activists of the civil campaign “European Belarus” for participation in the official trade union demonstration. http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2008/5/1/6279/ Politics Thu, 01 May 2008 14:38:24 +0300 Henadz Barbarych, journalist of “Belarusy i Rynok” newspaper, Paval Kuryanovich, activist of the civil campaign “European Belarus” and Young Front activist Anastasiya Palazhanka were detained near the Pershamaiski district militia department of Minsk, where activists of the civil campaign “European Belarus,” detained at the trade union demonstration, are kept. http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2008/5/1/6276/ Politics Thu, 01 May 2008 13:50:46 +0300 More than 20 activists of the civil campaign “European Belarus” were detained near the National library in Minsk, where the official trade union celebrated May Day. Among the detained are Zmitser Barodka, Yauhen Afnahel, Andrei Babitski, the Young Front leaders Zmitser Dashkevich, Artur Finkevich, Zmitser Khvedaruk, and chairman of the Belarusian Social Democratic Party (Narodnaya Hramada) Mikola Statkevich. http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2008/4/30/6274/ Politics Wed, 30 Apr 2008 18:07:29 +0300 Political prisoners in Belarus are of greater importance for the United States of America than the number of American diplomats in the country, Jonathan Moore, US Chargé d’Affaires, said today on the press conference in Minsk. Mr Moore has been handed today a list of the US diplomats announced non grata persons. According to the American diplomat, if the political prisoners are not released, the US may extend economic sanctions against Belarus. http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2008/4/30/6272/ Politics Wed, 30 Apr 2008 16:17:56 +0300 The Foreign Affairs Ministry of Belarus has handed the US Chargé d’Affaires Jonathan Moore a note and a list of US diplomats announced non grata persons. http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2008/4/30/6269/ Society Wed, 30 Apr 2008 15:31:01 +0300 It happened in the Minsk center on 8 March. Junior student of a Belarusian university was returning home from a pizzeria. She was stopped by a militia officer ion uniform and asked to get into a militia car. The girl was raped in the militia car...