Criminal case opened for a comment on charter97.org website

In the comments to articles at charter97.org website the Prosecutor-General's Office discovered "insults and defamation".

It has been stated today at a press-conference by a jouranlist of charter97.org website Natallya Radzina.

"Today a human rights activist Aleh Vouchak told me about initiation of a second criminal case for publications at charter97.org website. The criminal case had been initiated by the Prosecutor-General's Office in connection with... comments to the articles posted at the website. The matter concerns the article reproduced from the newspaper of Lukashenka's administration, "Sovetskaya Belorussia", which author was an Afghan war veteran Alyaksandr Ryzhankou, and which was

Hands off charter97.org website!

Computers seized from a journalist Natallya Radzina haven't been returned. Additional expert examination has been ordered to find out whether administering of charter97.org website was made on those computers.

Today a senior interrogating officer of the internal affairs department of Homel Alyaksandr Puseu summoned for interrogation in the police department of Pershamajski district of Minsk 4 journalists: Natalya Radzina, Iryna Khalip, Svyatlana Kalinkina and Maryna Koktysh. In the framework of the criminal case concerning defamation of the former head of the KGB directorate of Homel region Ivan Korzh searches were held at the places of the journalists and all computers confiscated.

The journalist of charter97.org Natallya Radzina website was familiarized with the materials of the computer and technical expert examination of the 8 system blocks seized in her office. The expert examination had been carried out by officers of the Chief expert criminalistic centre of the Interior Affairs Ministry of Belarus. According to the results of the expert examination, it had not been found that posting of materials discrediting honour, dignity and business

Shuvalov: Russia will join WTO on its own

The Russian Federation is determined to join the World Trade Organization (WTO) not waiting for its Customs Union partners, Belarus and Kazakhstan.

Igor Shuvalov, Russian deputy prime minster, told this to journalists in Washington during his visit to the US.

"Russia will formalize its membership on its own," ITAR TASS quotes Shuvalov. "It would be good for everyone if Russia became a WTO member before we create a common market with Kazakhstan and Belarus."

The Russian governmental delegation headed by deputy prime minister Igor Shuvalov is to hold negotiations on Russia's joining the WTO in Washington on Tuesday, April 27. The

Pensions to become even less

It has been decided by the Belarusian ruler: if we do not increase the penion age, we decrease size of penions. Senior scitizens are put on the verge of survival.

The Belarusian leader has done so many loud and scandalous statements during his address to the "parliament" and the nation on April 20, that one of them, as important, has been left unnoticed.

Thus, answering the question of a deputy of the "chamber of representatives" Anatoly Hlaz about a possibility of introducing a special pension system for top officials who had been working "conscientiously" in their positions for 10 and

"Süddeutsche Zeitung": "Lukashenka won't be able play a double game long"

Top Western newspapers continue to comment on the stay of the ousted Kyrgyz president Bakiyev in Belarus.

As the US based "Christian Science Monitor" writes, by offering the asylum to Bakiyev, Lukashenka showed "a case of dictator solidarity", reports "Radio Svaboda".

As "Christian Science Monitor" writes, Bakiyev had arrived to Minsk with his family as a personal guest of Alyaksandr Lukashenka, a person whose weird authoritarian regime near the Europe's centre confuses even its only ally, the Kremlin.

The leader of the provisional government of Kyrgyzstan, Roza Otunbayeva condemned the decision of Lukashenka to offer shelter "to this sadist".

Kyrgyz government: "Destructive activities are carried out from Belarusian territory"

The interim government of Kyrgyzstan is indignant at actions of the Belarusian authorities.

"Destructive activities against our country are carried out from the territory of friendly Belarus," stated the Chief of Staff of the provisional government of Kyrgyzstan Edil Baysalov (Baisalov), commenting statements by Kurmanbek Bakiyev.

"Bakiyev is a private individual, he has been ousted and not recognised a president either by the wolrd community or the people of Kyrgyzstan. We believe that the Belarusain government does not contribute to normalization of the situation in Kyrgyzstan. They should have reminded the private individual Bakiyev about the necessity to observe hospitality

Belarusian authorities break records in early voting

Early voting, which representatives of the EU called up to abandon, is still held in Belarus, and moreover, voters turn-out is higher than in previous years.

Voters turn-out to early voting can be even higher than before. In local elections in 2007 24.9% of voters took part in early voting, "Belarusskiye naviny" inform.

On the first day 3.6% of voters took part in the vote. Voters turn-out in two days was 8.7% of voters, 15% over the three days. At the previous local election in 2007 2.7% of voters took part in the vote on the first day of the