Belarusian police raid Polish cultural centre and arrest activist

11 Feb 10 | Index Index, minipost

Police have seized a Polish cultural centre in the town of Ivyanets outside Minsk. An activist who was travelling to the centre has also been detained. President Lukashenko claimed in 2005 the organisation responsible for the centre was trying to destabilise his regime and set up a government-approved alternative. Both the EU and the US have condemned the actions. There are around 400,000 Poles in Belarus. Belarus has also recently detained 20 activists demonstrating in support of political prisoners.

Belarusians forced to show ID before using internet cafes

08 Feb 10 | Index Index, minipost

Web users will be forced to show their passports or other ID before using Belaruse’s internet cafes from July 1. President Alyaksandr Lukashenka’s decree also requires ISPs to store data on individuals’ web usage for a year and to hand that information over to law enforcement agencies upon request. Lutz Guellner, spokesman for European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, condemned the decree for further restricting free expression in Belarus.

PAST EVENT: Protesting for a free Belarus

30 Jan 10 | Events, Uncategorized

Britain’s theatre community comes out against oppression and censorship in the “last dictatorship of Europe”.  Join the protest in London

Sir Tom Stoppard and actor/director Samuel West are leading a protest of high-profile theatre practitioners outside the Belarussian Embassy at 6 Kensington Court, London, W8 5DL on Thursday 1st July at 11.30am.

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