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30 arrested journalists
30 international and journalists have been arrested in Republic of Belarus form14 to 24 of March in the Republic of Belarus. Andrej Dynko the chief-editor of Nasha Niva has been sentenced to 10 days´of imprisonment. Six international journalists are among the arrested. See the list below. (24-MARCH-06)
Peaceful protest rally in Belarus-250 arrested and bitten people
After elections 19th of March Central Electoral Committee (CEC) of Republic of Belarus announced Alexander Lukashenko as the reelected president of the country. Opposition did not accept these results and called its adherents for the termless peaceful protest rally. About 20000 people went out to Minsk streets. Up to date about 250 protesting persons were arrested by police.(22-MARCH-06)
Official statement of Belarusian Association of Journalists
The Belarusian Association of Journalists expresses solidarity and support to all its colleagues, including the foreign ones, who have met difficulties with access to information in the Republic of Belarus and are facing restrictions of their professional activity.(16-MARCH-06)
Lawlessness at Belarusian courts
The electoral campaign in the Republic of Belarus started more than three weeks ago. During this time the police detained more than 300 persons. More than 40 of them (including Valiantsin Viachorka, the chair of the BPF Party and the proxy of the candidate to the presidential position Aliaksandr Milinkevich) were sentenced to 15 days of arrest by ‘fair and independent courts’. (13-MARCH-06)
Freedom of Speech- Belarusian Variant
On the 6th of March Belarusian population had a rare chance to get to alternative information by listening an appeal of the candidates to the presidential positions on the radio. But republican radio station illegally cut some parts out of these speeches while broadcasting oppositional appeal to Belarusian electorate.(09-MARCH-06)
Mohammed caricatures: Belarusian newspaper in danger of liquidation
For the Belarusian weekly Zhoda the publication of some of the infamous Mohammed caricatures may have dramatic consequences. Last week Belarusian prosecutors opened a criminal probe into the newspaper that is accused of having incited religious hatred by printing the cartoons. But according to Zhoda’s editor-in-chief the case is politically motivated. (01-MAR-06)
Belarusian Helsinki committee is under threats of being closed.
On the first of March, a criminal case against the chairman of the Belarusian Helsinki Committee (BHC), Tatiana Protko, because of tax evasion, was resumed. During the prosecution the last republican Human Rights association might be liquidated and BHC leaders are threatened with seven years of imprisonment with confiscation of property. (04-MARCH-06)
Belarusian Activists Against Pressure
The Human Rights Center Viasna appeals on the international community and human rights organizations and lodges its strong protest against the unprecedented tide of pressure and intimidation against civil society activists, which occurred on 21 February 2006 in many cities of Republic of Belarus. (23-FEB-06)
Belarus has Four Presidential Candidates .
The Central Election Committee of Republic of Belarus registered 4 Presidential Candidates on January 17. A. Milinkevich, A. Lukashenko, A. Kazulin, and S. Gaidukevich got the certificates of Presidential Candidates. The agitation stage started on the same day. The incumbent President declared equal opportunities for all the participants of the election campaign. (21-FEB-06)