- Home
- About
-
Staff
- Commentaries by FPS Staff
- Rusakovich Andrei Vladimirovich
- Rozanov Anatoliy Arkadievich
- Research Briefs
- Tihomirov Alexander Valentinovich
- Shadurski Victor Gennadievich
- Sidorchuk Valery Kirillovich
- Brovka Gennady Mikhailovich
- Gancherenok Igor Ivanovich
- Malevich Ulianna Igorevna
- Prannik Tatiana Alexandrovna
- Selivanov Andrey Vladimirovich
- Sharapo Alexander Victorovich
- Testimonials
-
Conference Proceedings
- Amber Coast Transport Initiative Project Concept
- Nato and Belarus - partnership, past tensions and future possibilities
- OSCE High-Level Seminar on Military Doctrine
- Poland-Belarus: perspectives of cross-border cooperation
- Polish-Belarussian Transborder Customs Cooperation: сurrent Problems and Challenges
-
Reports
- We see the significant reduction of the U.S. Army in Europe
- NATO's International Security Role
- International seminar on issues in the Collective Security Treaty Organization
- Belarus-Turkey: The ways of cooperation - 2011
- Belarus - Poland: two decades of international relations
- Belarus-Turkey: The ways of cooperation - 2009
- International seminar Belarusian Diaspora: Past and Present
- The first Round Table
-
News Releases
- The conference on Overcoming the financial crisis
- Round Table on history and future of Belarus-Poland cooperation
- Seminar on Belarusian diaspora: past and present
- The conference on Belarus in the Modern World
- The conference on Economic, legal and informational aspects of cooperation in customs sphere
- Comments
- Contact
Disbarred lawyer Tamara Sidarenka
Last week Belarusian authorities continued criminal prosecution of Ales Byalyatsky. The authorities also continued to put pressure on lawyers who represented opposition activists. There were no massive protests last week but Belaruian courts fined two people who were involved in organizing silent protests this summer.
Formal charges against Ales Byalyatsky. On 12 August, Ales Byalyatsky has been formally charged under Article 243-2 of the Criminal Code (concealment of income at an especially large scale). On 15 August his detention has been extended for two months. Belarusian authorities detained Ales Byalyatsky, chairperson of the Human Rights Center Viasna and vice-President of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH). Belarusian authorities allege that Ales Byalyatsky failed to pay taxes of Br 143.7 million (approx. $28 700). This offense envisages up to seven years of imprisonment with confiscation of property.
One more lawyer is disbarred. On 16 August, the Belarusian Ministry of Justice disbarred lawyer Tamara Sidarenka, known for defending former presidential candidates in “mass riot” trials. The date of themeeting of the Ministry of Justice Board, which will decide on the final withdrawal of Tamara Sidarenka’s license law, is still unknown. Earlier this year, Ministry of Justice disbarred several other lawyers representing defendants in the 19 December 2010 criminal case.
Fine for participation in “silent protests”. On 12 August, Raman Chuyashou from Zhlobin (Homel region) was fined Br770,000 ($150) for participation in “silent protests”. The administrative case of Chuyashou was heard by Homel Tsentralny District Court 58 days after the protest was staged.
Fine for posting in VKontakte. On 16 August, Mazyr district court fined Michail Karatkevich under Art.23.34 of Administrative Code (violation of the order of conducting mass actions) in Br105,000 ($20). Karatkevich was convicted for posting in VKontakte a message about silent protests.
Sentence for posting the political prisoners’ portraits. On 16 August, two activists of the Young Democrats (UCPB’s youth wing) Zmitser Silchanka and Volha Padzeryna were detained. On the following day, they were found guilty of posting illegal leaflets featuring the portraits of Belarusian political prisoners and sentenced to 5 days of administrative arrest each.
Thousand signatures is collected for the National Assembly. The organizing committee has started collecting signatures for the holding National Assembly. For two weeks thousand signatures has been collected in Minsk and a few hundred- in other cities. The organizing committee consists of representatives of the opposition pro-democratic parties and movements. They announced that the meeting will be held on 08 October, 2011 in 28 Belarusian cities. In Minsk, the National Assembly will be held on Bangalore Square, outside of the city center.
Belarus Digest prepared this overview on the basis of materials provided by Pact. This digest attempts to give a richer picture of the recent political and civil society events in Belarus. It often goes beyond the hot stories already available in English-language media.
