Belarus shuts two newspapers; sends opposition leader to jail

28 Apr 11 | Index Index, minipost

On Wednesday (27 April) authorities in Belarus closed two independent newspapers, Nasha Niva and Narodnaya Volya. The Information Ministry said it acted after repeatedly warning both newspapers over their political coverage in the last year. In a separate incident yesterday (27 April), opposition leader Dimitry Bondarenko was found guilty of organising a rally in December to protest the election results which extended President Alexander Lukashenko’s term in office. The court has sentenced him to two years in prison.

Belarus: Natalia Radzina seeking asylum abroad

05 Apr 11 | Index Index, minipost, News and features

Belarusian journalist Natalia Radzina has revealed that she is seeking political asylum in a foreign country. She has declined to comment on where she is and how she got there. Radzina was ordered to attend the KGB office in Minsk on 31 March. It is thought that the purpose of this visit was for the KGB to bring a formal charge against her for organising “mass disorder” during a protest against the presidential election result in December 2010. However, her mother claims she saw her daughter board a train on 30 March and could not contact her the following day. Radzina was nominated for an Index on Censorship Freedom of Expression Award in 2010.