Regime carried out political genocide on December 19 (A document)

The International Monitoring Mission of Committee of International Control over the Human Rights Situation in Belarus has published its analytical review on situation with human rights defenders and human rights organizations based upon research of testimony of 205 citizens detained during the protest rally in Minsk on December 19, 2010.

The document has been prepared in cooperation with the Center for Legal Transformation and other national NGOs.

Press release

The findings draw on 205 testimonies of citizens detained at a public action in Minsk 19 December 2010

This aide memoire was drafted by the HR Watch International Monitoring Mission in Belarus in conjunction with the Law Trend Center and other national NGOs based on the testimony filed by 205 individuals in Minsk between 3-21 January 2011.

The study analyzed 205 questionnaires the respondents (aged 18-61; 43 females and 162 males), detained at a public action in Minsk on the night of 19-20 December 2010, filled out personally.

Study conclusions and recommendations

We assert that the authorities were most brutal when detaining citizens. Violence was demonstrated with every fourth detainee, with humiliation and derogation on top. We also admit, that the bulk of the detainees did not counter detention, and rather raise their arms showing submission to the authorities. The authorities themselves did not have any insignia and even would mask their faces.

The number of violent actions against the detainees held in specialized vehicles, stations and courts curve down, while the number of derogatory and brutal treatment cases curve up. This is proved by the fact that the authorities kept the detainees for a long time in crammed vehicles in most degrading postures—face down; propped up against the wall with arms behind—and without access to potable water or facilities, or healthcare assistance to those with serious injuries.

Olympia Dukakis: I am speaking on behalf of Iryna Khalip

American actress Olympia Dukakis appealed the Belarusians and the world community as part of a campaign of solidarity with Belarus.

Olympia Dukakis (born in 1931) as an American theatre and film actress.

She started her career as a film actress in the mid 1960-s. in the beginning, she had small roles in such movies as Lilith, John and Mary, Sisters. She gained popularity in 1987 after a film Moonstruck. For her role in the film, she won three most valuable awards in the American movie industry, Oscar, Golden Globe, and BAFTA.

Olympia Dukakis worked with such actors as Peter O'Toole, Maximilian

Olympia Dukakis: I am speaking on behalf of Iryna Khalip

American actress Olympia Dukakis appealed the Belarusians and the world community as part of a campaign of solidarity with Belarus.

Olympia Dukakis (born in 1931) as an American theatre and film actress.

She started her career as a film actress in the mid 1960-s. in the beginning, she had small roles in such movies as Lilith, John and Mary, Sisters. She gained popularity in 1987 after a film Moonstruck. For her role in the film, she won three most valuable awards in the American movie industry, Oscar, Golden Globe, and BAFTA.

Olympia Dukakis worked with such actors as Peter O'Toole, Maximilian

Olympia Dukakis: I am speaking on behalf of Iryna Khalip

American actress Olympia Dukakis appealed the Belarusians and the world community as part of a campaign of solidarity with Belarus.

Olympia Dukakis (born in 1931) as an American theatre and film actress.

She started her career as a film actress in the mid 1960-s. in the beginning, she had small roles in such movies as Lilith, John and Mary, Sisters. She gained popularity in 1987 after a film Moonstruck. For her role in the film, she won three most valuable awards in the American movie industry, Oscar, Golden Globe, and BAFTA.

Olympia Dukakis worked with such actors as Peter O'Toole, Maximilian

Regime carried out political genocide on December 19 (A document)

The International Monitoring Mission of Committee of International Control over the Human Rights Situation in Belarus has published its analytical review on situation with human rights defenders and human rights organizations based upon research of testimony of 205 citizens detained during the protest rally in Minsk on December 19, 2010.

The document has been prepared in cooperation with the Center for Legal Transformation and other national NGOs.

Press release

The findings draw on 205 testimonies of citizens detained at a public action in Minsk 19 December 2010

This aide memoire was drafted by the HR Watch International Monitoring Mission in Belarus in conjunction with the Law Trend Center and other national NGOs based on the testimony filed by 205 individuals in Minsk between 3-21 January 2011.

The study analyzed 205 questionnaires the respondents (aged 18-61; 43 females and 162 males), detained at a public action in Minsk on the night of 19-20 December 2010, filled out personally.

Study conclusions and recommendations

We assert that the authorities were most brutal when detaining citizens. Violence was demonstrated with every fourth detainee, with humiliation and derogation on top. We also admit, that the bulk of the detainees did not counter detention, and rather raise their arms showing submission to the authorities. The authorities themselves did not have any insignia and even would mask their faces.

The number of violent actions against the detainees held in specialized vehicles, stations and courts curve down, while the number of derogatory and brutal treatment cases curve up. This is proved by the fact that the authorities kept the detainees for a long time in crammed vehicles in most degrading postures—face down; propped up against the wall with arms behind—and without access to potable water or facilities, or healthcare assistance to those with serious injuries.

Human rights activist detained on Belarusian border again

Human rights activist Leanid Sudalenka with 10 copies of instructions for observes on him was detained at Kamenny Loh border crossing point on his way from Lithuania.

Sudalenka travelled by bus, so all passengers had to wait for over two hours while officers of the customs service in Ashmyany were drawing reports on seizure of printed materials, the campaign "Human Rights Activists for Free Elections" reports.

It's not the first case when activists of the campaign "Human Rights Activists for Free Elections" have been seized information materials for observes on the Belarusian-Lithuanian border. The same happened

Olympia Dukakis: I am speaking on behalf of Iryna Khalip

American actress Olympia Dukakis appealed the Belarusians and the world community as part of a campaign of solidarity with Belarus.

Olympia Dukakis (born in 1931) as an American theatre and film actress.

She started her career as a film actress in the mid 1960-s. in the beginning, she had small roles in such movies as Lilith, John and Mary, Sisters. She gained popularity in 1987 after a film Moonstruck. For her role in the film, she won three most valuable awards in the American movie industry, Oscar, Golden Globe, and BAFTA.

Olympia Dukakis worked with such actors as Peter O'Toole, Maximilian

Olympia Dukakis: I am speaking on behalf of Iryna Khalip

American actress Olympia Dukakis appealed the Belarusians and the world community as part of a campaign of solidarity with Belarus.

Olympia Dukakis (born in 1931) as an American theatre and film actress.

She started her career as a film actress in the mid 1960-s. in the beginning, she had small roles in such movies as Lilith, John and Mary, Sisters. She gained popularity in 1987 after a film Moonstruck. For her role in the film, she won three most valuable awards in the American movie industry, Oscar, Golden Globe, and BAFTA.

Olympia Dukakis worked with such actors as Peter O'Toole, Maximilian

Belarusians remain all alone with unemployment

Officially, there are no unemployed in Belarus, but the real picture looks different.

The Belarusian authorities are constantly emphasizing that the rate of unemployment in the country doesn't exceed .7%. In comparison with the neighbours, who have an unemployment level expressed in two-digit numbers, the absence of official jobless people is presented as a significant success of the Belarusian model.

In real fact, it is a complicated and humiliating procedure of obtaining an official status of unemployed and miserable unemployment payment that make Belarusians keep away from the state when looking for job. According to different estimations, from 1 million

Online publications to be registered

It has been stated at the final session of the board of the Information Ministry by Information Minister of Belarus Aleh Pralyaskouski.

"We have been working according to the new Law on Mass media for two years. Over this time its weaknesses have become obvious. They do not allow us to use legal mechanics in full measure for effective state control over the mass media market," he noted. He added that in connection with this the law and regulations should be amended, and primarily in what concerns the state registration of media outlets, BelTA informs.

Thus, the law currently in

Online publications to be registered

It has been stated at the final session of the board of the Information Ministry by Information Minister of Belarus Aleh Pralyaskouski.

"We have been working according to the new Law on Mass media for two years. Over this time its weaknesses have become obvious. They do not allow us to use legal mechanics in full measure for effective state control over the mass media market," he noted. He added that in connection with this the law and regulations should be amended, and primarily in what concerns the state registration of media outlets, BelTA informs.

Thus, the law currently in

Online publications to be registered

It has been stated at the final session of the board of the Information Ministry by Information Minister of Belarus Aleh Pralyaskouski.

"We have been working according to the new Law on Mass media for two years. Over this time its weaknesses have become obvious. They do not allow us to use legal mechanics in full measure for effective state control over the mass media market," he noted. He added that in connection with this the law and regulations should be amended, and primarily in what concerns the state registration of media outlets, BelTA informs.

Thus, the law currently in

Norway concerned about developments in Belarus

"The situation in Belarus after the protests following the presidential election is still giving cause for deep concern," said Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre.

"We call for the immediate release of political prisoners. Norway intends to respond by introducing targeted sanctions, as the EU and US have done. We will strengthen our support for groups who are working for democracy and human rights," the Foreign Minister continued.

State Secretary Espen Barth Eide is taking part in the Warsaw International Donor Conference on 2 February. This is intended to improve coordination of the international community's policy towards Belarus and its support

Online publications to be registered

It has been stated at the final session of the board of the Information Ministry by Information Minister of Belarus Aleh Pralyaskouski.

"We have been working according to the new Law on Mass media for two years. Over this time its weaknesses have become obvious. They do not allow us to use legal mechanics in full measure for effective state control over the mass media market," he noted. He added that in connection with this the law and regulations should be amended, and primarily in what concerns the state registration of media outlets, BelTA informs.

Thus, the law currently in

Online publications to be registered

It has been stated at the final session of the board of the Information Ministry by Information Minister of Belarus Aleh Pralyaskouski.

"We have been working according to the new Law on Mass media for two years. Over this time its weaknesses have become obvious. They do not allow us to use legal mechanics in full measure for effective state control over the mass media market," he noted. He added that in connection with this the law and regulations should be amended, and primarily in what concerns the state registration of media outlets, BelTA informs.

Thus, the law currently in