Campaign News

The European Union will evaluate the situation in Belarus in the light of the nation’s September 28 parliamentary elections and of the progress made in embracing the values of democracy and human rights, said EU foreign ministers in conclusions on Belarus adopted at an External Relations Council meeting in Brussels on September 15.

Brussels, Sept 15 (CTK) – The Czech Republic would not support an immediate lifting of the sanctions against Belarus that the EU imposed in the past, Czech Deputy Prime Minister for European Affairs Alexandr Vondra said in Brussels Monday.

A document has been received by the Human Rights Center “Viasna”, which confirms that on the eve and on the day of “elections” the regime is preparing repressive measures against the opposition.

The Leninski district court of Minsk sentenced activist of the civil campaign “European Belarus” Paval Luksha to ten days of arrest for distribution of “Vybor” newspaper calling to boycott the oncoming “parliamentary election” and protest against possible rigging of the “election” results.

Alyaksandr Lukashenka called actions of Russia during the war in Georgia quiet and accurate. “Everything has been done perfect, in a very calm, wise and beautiful manner,” A. Lukashenka said in Sochi at the meeting with Russian President Dzmitry Medvedev. “Russia has done everything very accurately,” the Belarusian ruler added, noting that actions of the West in the same situation would be such that “the whole world would be stirred”.

Liudmila Atakulava, a Young Front activist, has been sentenced to 10 days of administrative arrest for participation in a rally near the Russian Embassy on August 11. The decision has been passed by the court of Tsentralny district in Minsk.

We, the leaders of the former captive nations from Eastern Europe and current members of the European Union and NATO– Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland – are extremely concerned about the actions of the Russian Federation against Georgia.

The first interview in the film features Hanna, an activist of the Belarusian Republican youth Union, who gets ready for participation in July 3 parade in her poor student’s room. Hanna explains tirelessly as a topic during examination that “it is really a great holiday for our country”, as July 3 Belarus was liberated from fascism. In the evening the journalist finds Hanna in the crowd of people who watch the fireworks.

Leaders of the Young Front Zmitser Dashkevich and Artur Finkevich, arrested in Minsk yesterday, announced a hunger strike in Akrestsin Street detention centre. Meanwhile an activist of the civil campaign “European Belarus” Paval Kuryanovich is to stand trial in the court of Maskouski district of Minsk.

The former Bosnian Serb leader, Radovan Karadzic, has arrived in the Netherlands to face trial before a UN war-crimes tribunal in The Hague.

Mr Karadzic, arrested in Belgrade last week after 13 years on the run, will appear before the tribunal on Thursday.