CHARTER'97 BELARUS NEWS UPDATE
March 13, 2003
www.charter97.org
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FOUR PRISONERS OF CONSCIENCE
16:45 13/03/2003

Four prisoners of conscience, representing the Belarusian opposition  Andrei
Sannikov, Ludmila Gryaznova, Dmitry Bondarenko and Leonid Malakhov  went to
jail for demanding from the authorities the reduction of public utilities tariffs,
rise of wages, pensions and stipends, improvement of entrepreneurial conditions.
Harsh sentences against the organizers of the social action  15 days of arrest
to each  testify to the fact that the regime will never tolerate not only freedom
and democracy but even normal, worthy life. We could also see their panicking
fear before a massive, non-violent protest. Judges of the Sovietsky court of
Minsk Oksana Relyaeva and Ruslan Kazadoev passed accusatory verdicts (how are
these two looking their relatives in the eyes, knowing that they sentence people,
who demand to reduce huge public utilities tariffs) against Gryaznova, Sannikov,
Bondarenko and Malakhov, who are considered prisoners of conscience now. They
were endowed with this status by the human rights watchdog "Amnesty International".
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2003/03/13/all

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DIPLOMAT ANDREI SANNIKOV SENTENCED TO 15 DAYS OF ARREST
16:00 13/03/2003

One of the initiators of the People's March "For Better Life!", Charter'97 international
coordinator, former deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Sannikov was sentenced by
the Sovietsky district court of Minsk to 15 days of arrest. The verdict was passed
by judge Ruslan Kazadaev. The witnesses for the prosecution were police officers
Kabanovich and Dolguchits. Sannikov was charged with violating art.167/1  organizing
unsanctioned mass events. The trial over Sannikov lasted for more than two hours.
Immediately after its termination, the diplomat was sent to the Okrestina pre-trial
detention.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2003/03/13/sannikovsud

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ENTREPRENEUR LEONID MALAKHOV SENTENCED TO 15 DAYS ARREST
15:21 13/03/2003

One of the organizers of the national entrepreneurs' strike and People's March
"For Better Life!", co-chairman of the "Private property" Leonid Malakhov was
sentenced to 15 days of arrest by judge Oksana Relyaeva. The witnesses for the
prosecution were police lieutenant Hiyko and major Leonivich. The businessman
was found guilty of violating art.167/2 of the Administrative code  involvement
in unsanctioned mass events. He has three sons. We're still waiting for Andrei
Sannikov's verdict.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2003/03/13/sudmalahov

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LUDMILA GRYAZNOVA SENTENCED TO 15 DAYS OF ARREST
15:20 13/03/2003

Judge Ruslan Kazadaev sentenced 13th Supreme Soviet deputy, Charter97 human rights
coordinator Ludmila Gryaznova to 15 days of arrest for violating art.167/1 
organizing unsanctioned mass events. Witnesses for the prosecution were police
officers Litvinko and Filatov. Gryaznova has an underage daughter.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2003/03/13/sudgryaznova

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DMITRY BONDARENKO SENTENCED TO 15 DAYS OF ARREST
15:18 13/03/2003

Organizer of the People's March, Charter'97 coordinator Dmitry Bondarenko was
sentenced by the Sovietsky district court to 15 days of arrest (judge Oksana
Relyaeva). The witnesses for the prosecution were senior police lieutenant Hiyko
and major Leonovich. Bondarenko was found guilty of participating in unsanctioned
events. He had been detained yesterday evening and stayed overnight together
with Sannikov in a special confinement center. Sannikov's verdict remains unknown.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2003/03/13/bondarenko

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TRIAL OVER PEOPLES MARCH "FOR BETTER LIFE!" ORGANIZERS
11:25 13/03/2003

Trials over the initiators of the People's March "For Better Life!", Charter'97
international coordinator, former deputy Foreign Minister of Belarus Andrei Sannikov,
Charter'97 human rights coordinator Ludmila Gryaznova and action's organizer,
Charter'97 coordinator Dmitry Bondarenko will commence today at 11a.m. in the
Sovietsky district court of Minsk. Andrei Sannikov and Dmitry Bondarenko were
detained yesterday evening by the Sovietsky district police station after the
termination of the protest action "For Better Life!", held in Minsk under social
slogans, demanding the rise of salary and reduction of public utilities tariffs.
Apart from Sannikov and Bondarenko they also captured yesterday Ludmila Gryaznova
 another initiator of the People's March. However, as far as the lady has an
under-age daughter without a father, they let her go home late at night. This
morning they also arrested Leonid Malakhov, one of the organizers of the national
entrepreneurial protest and People's March. On March 12 evening the law-enforcers
tried to pass over to Malakhov a court subpoena through his wife. But the woman
refused to accept it from their hands. This morning, however, they delivered
the man to the Sovietsky district police station. The duty officer said that
the trial over the man would be held in a couple of days, until which he will
stay in custody.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2003/03/13/nm

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BELARUSIANS WILL GET BETTER LIFE
11:18 13/03/2003

People's March "For Better Life!" was a success. The capital saw a massive action
of protest, in which around 5 thousand people took part and which was upheld
in dozens of Belarusian regions. Over 100,000 small business representatives
didn't come out to work as a sign of solidarity with the action. The national
strike encompassed over 30 Belarusian towns. The actions of solidarity with the
People's March were held all across Europe. However, despite the clearly peaceful
character of demonstration and social slogans, requiring the reduction of apartment
rent and rise in salaries, the authorities embarked on provocations. Clashes
with police were luckily avoided only due to the perfect diplomacy of the March's
organizers.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2003/03/13/belarus

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OSCE, EMBASSY OFFICIALS CARE LITTLE FOR SITUATION DEVELOPMENT IN BELARUS
16:35 13/03/2003

Representatives of the OSCE mission in Minsk and foreign embassies ignored the
judicial processes over the organizers of the People's March, which was held
yesterday. Observers, dressed in bright yellow T-shirts with OSCE blue letters,
as well as foreign embassies' officials, who usually attend all politically motivated
trials, weren't there in the Sovietsky district police station this time. The
OSCE mission is called observatory, but what are these people observing here?
Or may be OSCE no longer cares for the human rights and freedoms in Belarus.
Moreover, a few days before the action ZUBRs passed over to the head of mission
Eberhard Haiken an invitation to visit it and see with his own eyes the arrests
of protesters. Or could this indifference be a result of the parliament's recent
recognition by OSCE PA?
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2003/03/13/osce

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UCP CONDEMNS ARREST OF PEOPLE'S MARCH PROTESTERS
16:06 13/03/2003

Today the United Civil Party circulated its statement in connection with administrative
arrests, passed against the initiators and organizers of the People's March "For
Better Life!". Following read its text:
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2003/03/13/ucpb

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RALLY "FOR BETTER LIFE!" IN BORISOV
11:22 13/03/2003

March 12 evening the meeting of solidarity with the Minsk People's March was
carried out in Borisov. The action, which attracted over two hundred people,
was held on the central square opposite the town hall's headquarters.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2003/03/13/borisov

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ACTION "FOR BETTER LIFE!" IN GOMEL
11:21 13/03/2003

Gomel authorities didn't allow the local entrepreneurs to organize meeting "For
Better Life!" in central town, proposing to rally at the empty square opposite
the Palace of the society of deaf.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2003/03/13/gomel
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CHARTER'97 BELARUS NEWS UPDATE
March 13, 2003
www.charter97.org