Eric Avebury outlines the systematic repression that has brought the people of Bahrain onto the streets
(more…)
Belarusian dissident Vasily Parfenkov has been sentenced to four years of imprisonment following his hearing on Thursday. He was convicted of breaking the window of a parliamentary building during protests against President Lukashenko’s re-election on 19 December. He will also have to pay pay 14m roubles ($4,700) in compensation for damage to state property. Parfenkov is an active supporter of opposition candidate Vladimir Neklyayev.
A solidarity rally in support of Belarus’s political prisoners is being held at the Belarusian Embassy in London on Saturday 19 February.
Thursday 17 February saw the beginning of the hearing against Vasil Parkiankou. The trial, which is being held in Minsk, has been described by an opposition activist as a mere “show trial”. Parkiankou is accused of smashing the windows of a government building in the course of a demonstration in December. This is a “public order offence”. He was protesting against vote rigging in the presidential election. Human rights organisation Viasna have said that more than 40 opposition members will be tried. They face up to 15 years of imprisonment.
This Saturday there will be a solidarity protest outside the Belarusian Embassy in London.
Two deaths have been reported in anti-government demonstrations in Tehran. The deaths came as anti-government protesters clashed with police and pro-government supporters. It is not clear which camp the dead demonstrators belonged to, with both the anti and pro-government supporters claiming them as their own. Several demonstrators were also wounded in the clashes. The government has banned all opposition rallies, and detained major opposition leaders and hundreds of activists in order to deter the protests.