Russian Journalist Deported From Belarus, Deny Acces For 3 Years

Moskovsky reporter Igor Karmazin, who arrived in Minsk to report on the imprisoned opposition politicians, was deported from the country.

The reporter met with Nikita Likhovidov, who was found guilty and then pardoned by President Alexander Lukashenko and with journalist Irina Khalip, a wife of former presidential candidate Andrei Sannikov.
After interviewing Khalip two men came up to Karmazin and asked him to follow them. He was taken to a police station, searched and had all the files on his voice recorder erased. They questioned him about what he was talking to Khalip about and fingerprinted him.
Then the Russian journalist was given a paper barring him from entering Belarus, under threat of three years in prison if he was to do so.
His deportation was recorded in his passport. The journalist was then put on a train back to Moscow.

Two Decades Since USSR Broke Up. What Happened To Soviet Countries?

Twenty years on from the Soviet coup gave birth to 15 new states. Guardian data team mined statistics from sources ranging from the World Bank, the UNHCR, the UN Crime Trends Survey and the Happy Planet Index to compare the performance of the countries, combed through the OSCE’s reports on every election in each country since 1991 to see where democracy was taking hold – and where it was not wanted.

THE BALTIC REPUBLICS
Democratic records are exemplary, but the countries sit surprisingly low on international measures for wellbeing and happiness.

THE EU BORDERLANDS UKRAINE, BELARUS and MOLDOVA
Ukraine and Moldova sustained catastrophic economic contraction.. Belarus, under the autocratic rule of Alexander Lukashenko since 1994, suffered less. The troika has the weakest economic figures of all post-Soviet regions. Moldova has the best record of free and fair elections, BUT with return a communist (Vladimir Voronin) to power. Moldova also hosts to one of the post-Soviet space’s many frozen conflicts of the Transdniestr region Ukraine’s democratic turning point – the orange revolution of 2004 – rapidly gave way to paralysis and stalemate… In Belarus, Lukashenko has faced lengthy international isolation for crushing opposition and dissent.

THE CAUCASUS
Azerbaijan’s oil dividend makes it one of the strongest performing economies. Armenia and Georgia have both seen incipient growth through the 2000s rudely interrupted by the global recession of 2008/09. The frozen conflicts of Nagorno-Karabakh (Azerbaijan and Armenia) and Abkhazia (Georgia) ..Georgia and Russia has resulted in the only war between former Soviet republics (2008). Armenia suffers from the worst unemployment of all 15 republics, and democratic breakthroughs have been few – only Georgia has held free and fair elections.

CENTRAL ASIA
A mixed economic story: Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan have expanded their economies more than 400 %. And although these are the happiest post-Soviet republics not one has held a genuinely free or fair election since 1990; central Asia is where elections are deferred or else won with 99 percent of the vote by dictators who lock up their opponents and even ban ballet and name a month of the year after their mother (Turkmenistan). Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan are not post-Soviet at all: they have simply stuck with the strongmen who led them out of the Soviet Union. Turkmenistan the leader died in 2006, while Tajikistan’s Emomali Rahmon has run his republic uncontested since 1992. Only in Kyrgyzstan Soviet-era leader Askar Akayev was ousted in 2005.

RUSSIA
Russia has reversed its dramatic economic decline. .its life expectancy persisting below 70 on account of, among other factors, chronic problems with drug and alcohol abuse. Russia has the highest HIV rate (along with Ukraine), the highest homicide rate and the highest prison population of the former Soviet Union. Elections are once again foregone conclusions; governors, once elected, are now appointed. The ‘vertical’ of power centred on the Kremlin appears as strong as it was in Soviet times.

In Belarus New Law: Treason = Working For Foreign Organization.

New legislation about the secret police, still known as the KGB, lifts restrictions on the KGB’s use of weapons,gives officers the authority to break into residences and offices and to put his political opponents behind bars.

A new ban on receiving foreign funds carries a two-year prison sentence, while simply calling for an anti-government protest can send someone to prison for three years. The legislation is expanding the definition of treason in such a way as to cast possible suspicion on anyone working for a foreign organization.

The past summer saw a wave of demonstrations against Lukashenko’s regime by people who clapped their hands, stomped their feet or simply smiled. Initially caught by surprise, police quickly started rounding up demonstrators even though their actions did not violate any law because they chanted no anti-government slogans and carried no signs.

The set of legal amendments, passed at a closed session of parliament earlier this month and posted on a government web site Thursday, now give police formal justification for clamping down on those taking part in the protests despite the absence of any political demands. Gatherings for “active inaction” will now be banned.

A separate legal amendment expands the definition of treason to include “assisting a foreign state, a foreign organization or its representative to the detriment of Belarus’ national security,” which is punishable by a prison sentence from seven to 15 years.

Further the new legislation makes it illegal for political parties and movements to receive any funds from abroad or keep their money in foreign banks. It introduces a two-year prison term for those violating the ban. This may further hurt the case of Alex Belyatsky, the jailed leader of Vesna, the most prominent human rights group in Belarus.

Venice Commission Calls Belarusian Laws Repressive

The Venice Commission noted during the plenary session ( 15 October ) that most of human rights organizations in Belarus had been deprived of registration during the last ten years. The Venice Commission also regrets the amendments to the Criminal Code suppressing the freedom of association.

The Belarusian legislators approved amendments, which significantly expand KGB powers allowing breaking in homes and banning foreign financing of NGOs. Once the draft law is adopted, the security services will gain the right to break into NGO offices and residential homes if they think a crime has been committed there or a suspect is hiding there, the Commission reminds in a press release.

The Commission also criticizes Belarus as the only European country using death penalty.

The Venice Commission is Council of Europe’s advisory body on constitutional matters founded in 1990. The Commission analyzes law and draft laws relating to constitutional right, including election standards, rights of minorities, etc. The PACE often uses the Commission’s conclusions as reflection of “European standards in democracy”.

Belarus: Lukashenko Pardons Jailed Ex-presidential Candidate

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has pardoned another candidate in last year’s presidential election convicted for taking part in post-election protests.“Being guided by the principles of humanity…”

Ex-presidential candidate Dmitry Uss had been released from prison.
At least five of the nine losing candidates in December’s presidential elections were brought to trial and convicted following a brutal crackdown on rallies against the result of the vote, which Lukashenko won with a landslide.
Three losing candidates – Nikolai Statkevich, Dmitry Uss and Andrei Sannikov – were sentenced to prison terms ranging from five to six years in prison. The fourth, Vladimir Neklyaev, was sentenced to two years in prison with a two-year reprieve.
Another candidate, Ales Mikhalevich, fled the country and was granted political asylum in Czech Republic.
Vitaly Rymashevsky received a suspended sentence of two years.
So far, only Statkevich and Sannikov remain in jail.

Lithuania Expands Blacklist Of Belarusian Officials

Vilnius intends to add 18 Belarusian officials to those banned from entering Lithuania. These officials have relation to persecution of Belarusian Viasna Human Rights Centre and its leaders. The Viasna leader is in the detention facility Nr 1 in Minsk facing 7 years in prison.
Names and posts of the civil servants are not given, but they are “associated with the persecution of the Belarusian Human Rights Centre Viasna and its leaders”.

Lithuania has already called on other EU member states to consider a possibility of adding these Belarusian officials to their national lists of persons declared persona non grata in their countries.

The EU has already imposed travel ban on 200 Belarusian top officials due to crackdown on the opposition conducted by official Minsk.

European Parliament’s Human Rights Resolutions On Belarus

At its Plenary sessions Parliament called for the immediate and unconditional release of Belorussian human rights defender Ales Bialatski.

MEPs express deep concern at the deteriorating situation of human rights defenders in Belarus. They strongly condemn the recent arrest of and allegations against Ales Bialiatski, Chair of the “Viasna” Human Rights Centre and the Belarusian authorities’ failure to respect the fundamental rights of freedom of assembly and expression.

Given the “unprecedented crackdown on civil society in Belarus following the presidential elections in December 2010″, MEPs believe that the criminal case against Ales Bialiatski is politically motivated and intended to obstruct his legitimate work as a human rights defender. They call for Ales Bialiatski to be “immediately and unconditionally released from custody and for the investigation and all the charges against him to be dropped”.

Parliament also calls on the Council, the Commission and foreign policy High Representative Catherine Ashton to step up their pressure on the Belarusian authority.

Belarus: Hearings Into Minsk Metro Blast Starts – Was It Terrorist Act?

A powerful bomb explosion occurred at the Oktybrskaya metro station in Minsk in the rush hour on April 11, 2011. Fifteen people died and about 200, including three Russian nationals, were injured.

An open hearing into this Minsk explosion is starting today. Dmitry Konovalov and Vlad Kovalev, both born in Vitebsk in 1986, will face trial on charges of terrorism. Konovalov is also accused of staging explosions in his native Vitebsk on September 14 and 22, 2005 and in Minsk on the night from July 3 to 4, 2008.

Under Belarusian laws, people convicted on charges of terrorism may face DEATH PENALTY.

Investigators have no information that some contractors and organizers stood behind the two young men. According to the deputy chief prosecutor Andrei Shved, the motives behind the actions were personal.
“A hypertrophic feeling of self-importance and general dislike of people pushed them to committing this crime,” said Oleg Kotenev from the anti-terror centre of the State Security Committee of Belarus.

Poland Continue To Support Belarusian opposition

Polish Premier Donald Tusk said:
“We will support the Belarusian opposition in order to conduct dialog in accordance with democratic standards, not to [President] Alexander Lukashenko’s dictation.”
He added that democratic changes were a precondition for financial aid from Warsaw to Belarus, where frequent protests coincided with a sharp downturn in living standards. Financial aid will be possible only after free and fair elections are held in the country.

A number of jailed Belarusian opposition members were released in early September.

Scotland Bank Agrees With Human Rights Groups And EndS Work For Belarus

Royal Bank of Scotland has said it will no longer do fundraising work for the Belarus government following a campaign by human rights groups which argued that companies such as RBS were helping to support the regime of “Europe’s last dictator”.

“Given sanctions, the deteriorating political situation in Belarus and the fact that it has reneged on key elements of the IMF programme, RBS has ceased any type of capital-raising for or on behalf of the Belarus Republic, and we have no plans to change that position until these issues have been resolved,” said RBS in a statement.
RBS has sent a clear signal not to risk investing in an regime that violates fundamental human rights and may not last”

Belarus is facing an economic crisis and is in talks with the International Monetary Fund about a possible loan, but the organisation wants to see major changes in the economy before extending financial help.

Belarus Decided To Blacklist Lithuanian TV Journalist

Belarusian border guards denied entry to a Lithuanian film crew saying that TV journalist Ruta Lankininkaite, who was part of the group, was included in the personae non grata list and annulled her visa.

The Lithuanian Foreign Ministry summoned on Wednesday Belarusian Ambassador Vladimir Drazhin to explain the incident.
The Baltic state is known for its support of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko’s opponents. In June, a House of United Belarus, that brings together Belarusian political immigrants, was opened in Vilnius. Lithuanian Foreign Minister Audronius Azubalis hailed the idea and expressed hope that Belarus would return to “democracy and freedom”.

Poland Dismisses 2 Prosecutors for Exposing Belarus Activist

Poland has dismissed two prosecutors who played a role in giving Belarus financial data about leading human rights activist Ales Belyatsky – information which led to his arrest.
Earlier this month, financial police in Minsk arrested Belyatsky and charged him with tax evasion. The move came after Polish prosecutors shared the details of a bank account he had in Poland to finance the human rights group, Vyasna, which he founded.
The two prosecutors provided the information despite recommendations from the Foreign Ministry on how to handle such cases.

The rights group Vyasna denounced the case against Belyatsky as politically motivated, saying the charges against him are “punishment and retribution” for his long-running work defending human rights.

Belarus: Lukashenko Pardoned Political Prisoners

All nine participants of the December 19 protests in Minsk whom Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko recently pardoned, have been released from prison.
The list of paroled protesters does not include six former presidential candidates; they will continue serving their terms varying from two to five and half years in Belarusian colonies. One other presidential candidate, Ales Mihalevich, secretly left Belarus and received political asylum in the Czech Republic.

The charter of pardon of 9 persons was signed by Alyaksandr Lukashenka on August 11. “Such a decision had been adopted on the grounds of petitions for pardon of the above-mentioned persons, considering the fact that they had acknowledged the criminal character of their actions, admitted fault and repented sincerely,” the press-service of the president informed.

Belarus: Vice President of International Federation for Human Rights Arrested

Ales Byalyatski, the Vice President of the International Federation for Human Rights, was detained in Minsk on August 4. Ales Byalyatski was detained near his flat.
The criminal article “hiding incomes on a large scale”, under which Byalyatski is reported to be accused, carries a punishment of 7 years in prison and confiscation of property.

Suspicious men in plain clothes began to gather near the Minsk office of Viasna human rights centre. Viasna staff left the building before those “guests” came. The home of Viasna chief was searched in the evening.

Belarus: Investigation In Terrorist Attacks In Minsk In 2011, 2008 And In Vitsebsk In 2005

The preliminary investigation in the terrorist attack in the Minsk metro in April 2011 and blasts in Minsk in 2008 and in Vitsebsk in 2005, was completed, the deputy prosecutor general of Belarus, Andrei Shved.
“The criminal case has been sent to the prosecutor today to be further sent to court”.
I take all responsibility to say that no data pointing at any sponsors behind Kovalev and Konovalov were found during the investigation of the criminal case and special investigation activities. We did not find even indirect data”.
“I can say with all certainty that they did it alone.”

The deputy prosecutor general stressed that the Belarusian terrorists have been conducting their criminal activity for ten years. “They commit the first crime in 2000”.