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.
30 Mar 11 | News and features
After a performance in the House of Commons in support of Belarus’s imprisoned opposition activists and journalists, Denis MacShane warns the leaders of Europe’s last dictatorship that justice plays a long game
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29 Mar 11 | Index Index, minipost, News and features
Belarusian politician Ales Mikhalevich has been granted political refugee status in the Czech Republic. He was imprisoned after running against Alexander Lukashenko in Belarus’ presidential elections. He claims that he was tortured in the custody of secret police, and was stripped naked and hung by his hands. Mikhalevich was one of the seven other candidates arrested during pro-democracy protests which saw more than 700 people detained.
09 Mar 11 | Index Index, minipost, News and features
The families of political prisoners detained in Belarus after the 19 December election have instructed a London law firm to launch civil proceedings against the country’s president, Alexander Lukashenko.
This is the first time that a serving president has faced a private prosecution for torture in a UK Court.
If the case is successful, any financial assets held by Lukashenko in Britain, or abroad, may be frozen to provide compensation.
London firm H20 Law will represent Free Belarus Now, a coalition of friends, families and supporters, of the victims of political repression in Belarus.
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