24 Jun 11 | Index Index, minipost
Activists used popular Russian social network, Vkontakte, and Twitter hashtag, #2206v1900, to organise protest action in towns all over Belarus on 22 June. Over 1, 000 people gathered for a rally in Minsk despite warnings to would-be protesters from local police about “possible administrative charges for participating in unsanctioned protests”. Throughout the day Vkontakte group, “Movement of the Future”, with over 200, 000 members, tweeted regularly. A total of 450 protesters were arrested during the “silent” anti-government demonstrations, many remain in detention.
20 Jun 11 | Uncategorized
European Union places sanctions on Belarusian companies, individuals after Index on Censorship campaign
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17 Jun 11 | Index Index, minipost
Human rights activist, Mikita Likhavid, is being tortured in prison according to claims made by the Belarus opposition group Youth Front. In March Likhavid, a member of the Za Svabodu (For Liberty) movement, was sentenced to three and a half years for participating in a rally held to protest President Alexander Lukashenko’s reelection last December. According to Youth Front, Likhavid has been held in solitary confinement four times in the last 40 days, an action which is considered torture by international standards.
16 Jun 11 | Index Index, minipost, News and features
Andrey Pochobut, a correspondent for the Polish newspaper GazetaWyborcza who stands accused of defamation and “insulting the president”, is facing a four-year prison sentence. The trial began yesterday in Leninski district court, Belarus, with journalists and family members excluded from proceedings. There are now serious concerns over whether Pochobut will receive a fair trial. The offending articles appeared on the Gazeta Wyborcza website, the Belaruspartisan.org site and in his personal blog. Pochobut would be the fourth journalist sent to prison on a charge of “insulting the president” if he is found guilty. The trial continues.
