Repressions in Belarus go on: New tactics of persecutions and bans
- 5.12.2008, 9:10
Though no mass street actions or political campaigns are held in Belarus, persecution of democratic activists goes on. Control over society remains strong and tight, human rights activists note.
As Deutsche Welle reminds, Mikhas Novikau, head of Navapolatsk office branch of “The Youth of the BPF”, and activist of the organisation Andrei Halavitsyn were detained in Navapolatsk in the evening, December 3. The young men left a club after a rock gig and were suddenly caught by militia. Some stickers were found on the activists, but this fact is not a ground for administrative persecution. As local human rights activists report, though the guys were sober, they were guarded to a militia station and then to a detoxication center where they had to spend the night.
The Minsk city executive committee didn’t permit activists of the “Young Front” to hold a picket at the monument to Lenin on Independence square on December 8, anniversary of USSR collapse. Nasta Palazhanka, Alyaksei Yanusheuski, and Nasta Loika applied for the picket. Paval Nazdra, coordinator of the “Young Front” in the Homel Region, was rejected a picket near the monument to Lenin in Mozyr, scheduled for December 8. It is known that the local authorities banned pickets in Pinsk, Kobryn and other towns on this day.
On December, activists of Brest branch of the “Young Front” stood trials. Judge Miranyuk sentenced Zhanna Abramava, Yury Bakur and Ivan Stasyuk to fines of two basic unit, or 25 euro, for an authorised picket. Last Tuesday, the “Young Front” members were detained during a rally in support of young activist Zhanna Abramava, who, according to the activists, was unlawfully evicted from her apartment. The young men brought a camp cot to Lenin square, rolled themselves in national white-red-white flags and held posters in hands “I was evicted. I live here”. In spite of administrative punishments, the young activists promise to continue holding pickets in support of Zhanna Abramava.
Salihorsk executive authorities banned a concert of Belarusian musicians dedicated to the World AIDS Day. Initially, the administration of the Culture Center and cultural department of the district executive committee approved a proposal of the youth, but having learnt there were “Young Front” members among the organisers, the authorities decided to ban the gig.
Rallies of solidarity with Alyaksandr Barazenka, involved in the Process of 14, who is waiting for his trial in the detention facility, were held near the detention facility in Valadarski Street every night during this week. The young activist is to stand trial on December 8. It should be noticed that no activists were detained this week unlike the previous one.
Estimating state of human rights in Belarus, lawyer and human rights activist Valyantsin Stefanovich noted that the authorities have begun to avoid direct persecution of citizens on politically motivated grounds. It can be considered a positive sign. Only the above mentioned Alyaksandr Barazenka is in the detention facility now, though up to 10 people were in jails in the past years.
The human rights activist noted we can’t say about radical changes for the better. “Control over the society remains rather strong and tight, civil rights are restricted, but the authorities don’t seem to make systematic steps towards democratization and liberalization of the situation,” Valyantsin Stefanovich said. “It is the most likely a rapid reaction of the authorities to negotiations with the European Union, it is difficult to forecast what will be a result of it in the future, different variants are possible.”