News on the topic: detentions
16.03.2010 Border guards seize car of Maryna Koktysh, ‘Narodnaya Volia’ journalist
The car Maryna Koktysh bought in Lithuania was seized and sent for expert evaluation. The journalist detained at Kamenny Loh border crossing point at 2:30 p.m. on 12 March. The woman was driving the car from Lithuania. The Belarusian border guards told the journalist the car was on the international wanted list. The journalist told RFE/RL that Lithuania denies this information. Koktysh went on hunger strike protesting against actions of customs officers.
11.03.2010 Fines for picket near Lithuanian Embassy
On 10 March Maksim Viniarski, Palina Kuryianovich and Palina Dziiakava were detained by police for an unauthorized picket near the Lithuanian Embassy where they unfurled a streamer ‘No to cooperation with Belarusian dictatorship’ in order to protest against the invitation of Aliaksandr Lukashenka to festivities on occasion of the 20th anniversary of Reestablishment of independence of Lithuania.
10.03.2010 Detentions for picketing near Lithuanian Embassy
Young activists Maksim Viniarski, Palina Kuryianovich and Palina Dziakava held a protest action today morning. They unfurled a banner ‘No to Cooperation with Belarusian Dictatorship!’ near the Embassy of Lithuania in Minsk in Zakharau Street to protest against the invitation of Aliaksandr Lukashenka to the festivities on occasion of the 20th anniversary of Reestablishment of the independence of Lithuania.
09.03.2010 First detention for election postcards ‘Tell The Truth’
Civil activists Mikhail Bashura, Volha Mikitsenka and Vasil Busel were detained in Minsk when they were carrying postcards of the civil campaign Tell The Truth.
18.02.2010 Vitsebsk: Barys Khamaida detained again
On 18 February in Vitsebsk, Barys Khamaida, activist of the Conservative-Christian Party Belarusian Popular Front, was detained for two hours for distribution of the party magazine Belaruskiya Vedamastsi. The official reason for the detention was that the policemen needed to check-up the literary editions and periodicals that were distributed by Mr. Khamaida.
17.02.2010 Members of Union of Poles are detained again
The continuation of the trial on confiscation of the Polish House in the town of Ivianets was scheduled for 2.30 p.m. on 17 February in the Valozhyn district court. The trial is initiated by the authorities and is aimed at passing the Polish House to the pro-regime Union of Poles, governed by businessman Stanislau Siamashka.
17.02.2010 Minsk: police disperse action of solidarity with Polish minority
On 16 February the riot police dispersed the action of solidarity on Kastrychnitskaya Square in central Minsk. Some of the action participants were detained preventively on the way to the square. Riot policemen also prevented journalists from making photos. As soon as they saw a camera, they ringed the journalist. In some cases, they even tried hitting on cameras.
15.02.2010 Barys Khamaida is accused of ‘disorderly conduct’
Officers of the Chynunachy district police department in Vitsebsk gave such charges to Barys Khamaida for ‘hanging out a white-red-white flag’.
15.02.2010 Anatol Liabezka detained
At 10.30 a.m. on 15 February in Valozhyn, on the eve of the trial of the member of the Union of Poles in Belarus Tereza Sobal, the police detained Anatol Liabedzka, leader of the United Civil Party, and guarded him to the Valozhyn district police department. At 5.30 p.m. he was still kept there.
15.02.2010 Minsk: St. Valentine Day action dispersed by riot police. Tatsiana Shaputska has cranial trauma
About 30 young democratic activists were detained by police as a result of the violent dispersal of the St. Valentine Day action in the center of Minsk. Riot policemen grabbed them by hands and feet and threw into paddy wagons. Two hours after the detention the police released the detainees without giving any charges.
12.02.2010 Brest: ’Young Front’ activist complains against conditions in a temporary detention facility
Ivan Stasiuk, activist of the Young Front, lodged with Prosecutor General Ryhor Vasilevich a complaint concerning the conditions in the temporary detention facility of Brest. A copy of the complaint was submitted to the Leninski district procuracy in Brest.
11.02.2010 Brest: Ivan Stasiuk is issued a warning for activity on behalf of unregistered organization
Ivan Stasiuk, a member of the international youth organization Young Front registered in Czech, was issued an official warning for activities on behalf of unregistered organization. The activist was summoned to the Brest oblast procuracy for 9 a.m. on 11 February, and was required to give explanations.
15.01.2010 Homel: Yauhen Yakavenka appeals against forced detention by police
As BelaPAN reports, at noon on 14 January two men in police uniform came up to Yauhen Yakavenka, a regional coordinator of the organizing committee of the Belarusian Christian Democracy, in Knizhnaya Street in Homel. They forced Yakavenka to get in a car and took him to a military enlistment office. ‘They explained me that I allegedly evaded draft, though I didn’t receive any summons to the military office. The office staff didn’t know what to do with me. I was waiting for their chiefs. Then I was told I could go,’ commented the activist.
15.01.2010 Vitsebsk: arrests of oppositionists continue
Young activist Taras Surhan, a friend of Siarhei Kavalenka, has been sentenced to 7 days of arrest. Valer Ramanenka and Ales Halavan, activists of the Belarusian Christian Democracy Party, were detained and guarded to the Pershamaiski district police department of Vitsebsk. Pavel Seviarynets, who visited the detainees at the police department, said that ‘haunting of democratic activists has started in Vitsebsk’.
13.01.2010 Vitsebsk: Siarhei Kavalenka released from pre-trial prison
Yesterday evening Siarhei Kavalenka, activist of the Conservative Christian Party Belarusian Popular Front arrested for hanging out a white-red-white flag on the main New Year Tree in Vitsebsk, was released from the pre-trial prison. He says that it was a surprise to him, as last Saturday the prosecutor’s office issued a ruling on keeping him in custody for two months.
