CHARTER'97 BELARUS NEWS UPDATE
January, 15, 2003
www.charter97.org
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PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE WORRIED BY CHARTER'97 MONITORING
15:02 15/01/2004, photo by ByMedia.net

An activist of the civil initiative Cahter'97, a member of human rights department
Natallya Kalyada was interrogated in the Public Prosecutor's Office of the Republic
of Belarus on January 15. Official of the Public Prosecutor's Office Paval Radzivonaw
displayed interest in the work of the civil initiative Charter'97, its human
rights department and press center. In particular, the official expressed his
disapproval with the monitoring of human rights violations done by human rights
department of Charter'97. In this connection the officer of the Prosecutor's
Office asked about Natallya Radzina, a press center worker who takes part in
monitoring preparation. 
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2004/01/15/charter97

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JEWISH CEMETERY DESECRATED IN RAHACHOW
14:19 15/01/2004, photo by ByMedia.net

On January 13 the head of Judaic Religious Union in Belarus (JRU) sent a letter
to the chairman of Rahachow local executive committee of Homiel region, Ivan
Kolas, and to the chair of the Committee on Religions and Nationalities by the
Council of Ministers Stanislaw Buko, in connection with desecration of an ancient
Jewish cemetery in Rahachow.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2004/01/15/rogochev

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LYCEUM'S DAY IN THE STREET OUTDOORS
11:36 15/01/2004

On January 15 of the Jakub Kolas National Humanities Lyceum celebrates the 14th
anniversary of its foundation. For 13 years this celebration was held in the
building of the Lyceum without any hindrances and was accompanied by impressive
performances, various photo exhibitions, concerts and a well-known research-and-practice
conference. However in summer 2003 it happened that a number of distressing events
were disturbing the Lyceum. The authorities took away the building of the Lyceum
and liquidated it, though they failed to destroy it.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2004/01/15/licej

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ANOTHER LETTER OF AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
12:28 15/01/2004

Yesterday a group of a well-known international human rights organization AMNESTY
INTERNATIONAL sent a letter to Alyaksandar Lukashenka. 
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2004/01/15/amnesty

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"BDG" REPORTER RECEIVES DENIAL TO BRING A CRIMINAL ACTION
12:27 15/01/2004

On January 13 in an informal conversation at Chuhunachny district police department
of Homiel journalist of the Belorusskaya Delovaya Gazeta (BDG) Iryna Makavetskaya
was informed that it is impossible to bring a criminal action on the case of
menace to her life. The reason is the absence of a specific article in the Code
relating threats on the phone. To institute proceedings the threat must be revealed
in some actions. "The action was not brought up, they have not even sent a request
to the telephone station to find out who was calling. I feel defenseless now.
I see no interest from the side of the police, on the contrary, I have a thought
that this situation must have been planned", said Iryna to the human rights center
Viasna. 
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2004/01/15/bdg2

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REPORTERS WITHOUT BORDERS: COUNTRY'S TOP-SELLING NEWSPAPER TARGETED
12:08 15/01/2004

Reporters Without Borders has condemned a crackdown against the country's top
selling newspaper, the independent Belorusskaya Delovaya Gazeta (BDG). The Belarus
post office, Belpochta, which delivers the newspapers to subscribers countrywide
as well as the state distributor Belsayuzdruk, have both cancelled their 2004
contracts with the newspaper. Elsewhere, death threats were made overnight on
10/11 January against Irina Makovetskaya, the newspaper's correspondent in Gomel,
southern Belarus.


http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2004/01/15/bdg

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MINISTER OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS REFUSE TO COMMENT ON MEMO ON MISSING
12:06 15/01/2004

The main topic of yesterday's press conference of the Minister of Internal Affairs
Uladzimir Navumaw was a report on political abductions in Belarus, prepared by
the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. It occurred at urgent request
of journalists. First of all Navumaw was asked to comment on the conclusion of
Christos Pourgourides on possible involvement of the highest Belarusian officials
to disappearances of politicians. Navumaw replied that he himself had been just
answering Mr.Pourgourides' questions and had no idea why he arrived to such a
conclusion. 
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2004/01/15/naumov

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COURT WARNS JEWISH ACTIVIST
11:57 15/01/2004

On January 14 judge of Lenin district court Alena Tserashkova issued an official
warning to the president of the World Association of Belarusan Jewry Jakov Gutman.
Jakov Gutman came to the building of presidential Administration with a poster
"Mr. Lukashenka, please stop demolition of Jewish sacred places, Jewish cemeteries,
and the memorial to the victims of Holocaust. Jakov Gutman". He was detained.
At the police station he was kept for several hours. Police officers drew up
a statement of the case for an unsanctioned picket, and after that Jewish activist
was taken to court.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2004/01/15/gutman

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CHARTER'97 BELARUS NEWS UPDATE
December, 15, 2003
www.charter97.org