News on the topic: Social March

14.11.2007 Police Return ‘Tovarishch’ Circulation 45 Days after Confiscation

On 13 November the police returned an issue of the non-state newspaper ‘Tovarishch’ (printed organ of the Party of Communists of Belarus) to its chief editor Siarhei Vazniak. The newspapers were taken away from the newspaper’s editorial office on 27 September.

05.11.2007 Authorities Proceed from Bans to Provocations

Organizers of the Social March have summed up the results of the rally that took place on 4 November. ‘The authorities have broken away from bans and have proceeded to provocations. To use force against people who offer a dialogue is immoral. Moreover, the regime depends on the European economic programs, foreign credits today, and it’s the second reason why the regime has given up such hard line methods of communication with protesters as a paddy wagon and truncheon blows on the head,’ told the deputy chairman of the Belarusian People’s Front party Viktar Ivashkevich.

05.11.2007 Police Do Not Let Regional Activists to Minsk for Social March

On the eve of the Social March, similarly to any opposition rally, policemen blocked access to Minsk for regional opposition activists. ‘Policemen in mufti tried to enter my apartment on 4 November in the morning. I didn’t open the doors to them. They were continually standing near my house till 2 p.m., when the Social March ended in Minsk. They asked neighbors about me. I even couldn’t go shopping,’ said a democratic activist from Barysau Zmitser Barodka.

03.11.2007 Nasta Azarka Detained

The girl was detained while she was trying to hitch-hike to Minsk. At first, in the morning, she was detained in Niasvizh. She was taken to Niasvizh district police department and spent there an hour. Then he was put in a patrol car and the police started driving her around the town. When they went out to buy cigarettes she escaped from the car. Soon she was detained again. Now she is kept in Haradzeya district police department. No charges are given to her, but the policemen openly say that she would be kept there till the end of the Social March that is to take place on 4 November.

03.11.2007 Verdicts to Detained for ‘Social March’ Leaflets Distribution

The court of Kastrychnitski district of Minsk sentenced the applicant for holding the Social March Mikhail Pashkevich to 3 days of arrest. A youth activist Mikalai Serhiyenka was sentenced to 15 days of arrest by the court of Partyzanski district of Minsk. Judge Natallia Chatviartkova believes that he had violated article 23.34 of the Administrative Code (violation of rules of mass events).

03.11.2007 Flash-mob Against Repeal of Social Benefits

At 1.20 p.m. about 10 youngsters lined up near the Presidium of the Academy of Sciences with a banner ‘No to repeal of the benefits’. They stood there for about 10 minutes and managed to hand out about 300 leaflets with the heading ‘Return our legal benefits’. The leaflet told about the liquidation of benefits to veterans of work, under-aged convicts of Nazi camps, disabled children, children before the age of three, ordinary policemen and the police administration. The leaflets also called the people to join the Social March that will take place on 4 November.

02.11.2007 New Detentions for Distribution of Materials Concerning Social March

On 2 November in Minsk the police detained one of the organizers of the Social March, the deputy chair of the Young Democrats Mikhail Pashkevich, and his friend Zmitser Kavalhin. The guys distributed agitation materials concerning the mass street action Social March that will take place in the center of Minsk on 4 November. The detainees were taken to the police department of Minsk tube.

02.11.2007 Souhayr Belhassen Establishes Committee in Defense of Andrei Klimau

On 1 November the visit of the president of the International Federation for Human Rights Souhayr Belhassen to Belarus ended. At the resulting press conference she stated that ‘the political regime of Belarus was the most repressive one in Europe’ and the charges against Dashkevich and Finkevich were ridiculous.

30.10.2007 BPF Member Vatslau Areshka Detained with Social March Flyers

Today activist of Belarusian Popular Front Vatslau Areshka, who had the leaflets on the Social March on him, was detained.

02.10.2007 Riot Police Watch and Hinder Social Pickets

On 30 September in Minsk the activists of the Party of Communists of Belarus Valery Ukhnaliou, Dzmitry Yanenka and a journalist Henadz Sharypkin were detained while handing out the issue of the Tovarishch newspaper that was dedicated to the Social March (appointed on 4 November). The detainees were taken to Savetski district police department of Minsk, but no reports were drawn.

02.10.2007 Svetlahorsk Activists Appeal Police and KGB Actions

On 30 September the police detained Sviatlana Mikhalchanka and Volha Yankouskaya. In the evening the police also searched their apartments. The reason for these actions was that the detainees were participants of actions against the upcoming repeal of social benefits.