News for 21 студзеня 2008
Aleh Korban jailed for 10 days
Judge Volha Husakova sentenced Young Front activist Aleh Korban to 10 days of arrest. Korban was detained on Saturday, January 19th, near the jail on Akrestsina Street, where he and friends were trying to register parcels for their colleagues in jail.
Pensioner Sviatlana Danilava fined for distribution of free press
Ludmila Savastsian, judge of Savetski district court of Minsk, fined the pensioner 5 basic units.
List of the detained during entrepreneurs’ rally on January 21st (updated regularly)
Some corrections and inaccuracies are possible. According to information from our activists, more than 20 people were detained. Now we are trying to find out their names. 1. Mikhail Subach, taken to Centralny police department 2. Lilia Subach, taken to Centralny police department 3. Alina Hladkaya, taken to Centralny police department 4. Yury Bakur (theer are 9 more detained people together with him in the police department) 5. Andrei Sharenda 6. Andrei Sauchuk 7. Tamara Sauchuk
Mass detentions begin, ambulance arrives on the square
15.00 Some of the protesters squeezed out from the Independence Square, returned to Kastrychnitskaya Square. There is a big jam near Centralny store on the avenue. Riot policemen are pushing the action participants down the stairs to the underground crossing.
Protesters squeezed out from the square
14.20 riot policemen who are ten times more in number than the rally participants are pushing everyone out of the square. Our reporter informs, the whole square looks black because of helmets and uniform. There is still no information about the detained.
Protesters come to the Government’s House, riot policemen in helmets jump out of police trucks
14.15 The column that consists of over three thousand participants is coming to the Government’s House. People are walking on sidewalks. Riot policemen with shields and helmets jump out of police trucks located behind the Teacher’s University. The police do not attack the protesters. The riot policemen are surrounding the Government’s House.
Protesters come out to traffic side, police trucks come closer too
About 1.40 p.m. participants of the entrepreneurs’ rally headed to the Independence Square. In the beginning they walked on the sidewalks, but in several minutes they came to the traffic side. Police trucks appeared immediately. They began to squeeze people back to the sidewalks. There is a complete mess in the center of the city near the KGB building. Part of the traffic is paralyzed.
Entrepreneurs rally happening on Kastrychnitskaya Square now
Entrepreneurs are holding the planned rally on Kastrychnitskaya Square in Minsk. This time there are less participants than on a rally on January 10th. Now there are about one thousand people on the square. Representatives of foreign embassies and journalists came to the square. There are many police buses full of riot policemen in the yards nearby. There are 8 trucks and 2 tractors behind the Palace of the Republic. A car of the 1st state TV channel is driving around making a video of everything that is happening. 12.00 There are only several dozen people on the square now. There are not many police officers on the square either. The surrounding yards and blocks are full with police buses. State radio is broadcasted all over the square through the loudspeaker. No politicians are seen on the square. Most of the participants are young people.
Mahiliou activists receive summons to police
On the eve of the entrepreneurs’ protest rally which is to take place on January 21st in Mahiliou, a number of Mahiliou civic activists received summons to come to police. They are to come to local police stations in the morning of January 21st.
Police buses and detention trucks concentrated around Kastrychnitskaya Square
There are 3-5 police buses standing in several places around the square. RFE/RL reports about detention trucks. Road policemen do not allow cars to stop at Kastrychnitskaya Square.
Authorities try to intimidate and isolate entrepreneurs and political figures before rally
The protest rally of entrepreneurs will start today at noon on Kastrychnitskaya Square. Before the entrepreneurs’ rally the authorities are trying to intimidate and isolate entrepreneurs and political figures.
