CHARTER'97 BELARUS NEWS UPDATE
January, 30, 2003
http://charter97.org/eng/news/
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TWO MORE SENATORS BECAME COSPONSORS OF BELARUS DEMOCRACY ACT
13:45 30/01/2004

Two more American Senators  Joseph Lieberman and Thad Cochran became cosponsors
of Belarus Democracy Act introduced to US Congress in 2003 by Helsinki Commission
Co-Chairman Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell. The act includes US sanctions against
Belarus if belarusian authorities do not cease persecution of opposition and
independent media and do not investigate politically motivated disappearances.
If the Act is adopted, entry to US territory will be restricted for a number
of Belarusian officials, strategic export and state investments to Belarus will
be prohibited, measures for cutting down financial aid from international financial
institutions. Belarus Democracy Act provides for publishing information about
Belarus weapon export to terrorism-supporting countries, publishing information
about Lukashenkos property and property of his surrounding.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2004/01/30/act

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BELARUSIAN OPPOSITION STRUGGLING TO UNITE AHEAD OF POLLS
15:41 30/01/2004

Pavel Sevyarynets, one of the leaders of the Young Belarus [opposition] coalition,
has accused the Five-Plus Popular Coalition of unwillingness to set up a single
democratic bloc at the 2004 parliamentary elections. He said this on 29 January
at a regular session of the Belarusian Think-Tanks nongovernmental organization
which was held at the Minsk international education centre. According to him,
"the five" is "the most intolerant" [alliance] with regard to the unification
of democratic forces ahead of the election campaign which is of key importance
for the country.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2004/01/30/young

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BELARUSIAN COURT SLAPS FINE ON HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST
15:39 30/01/2004

Judge Yuliya Lukomskaya of Minsk's Frunzenski district court on 29 January imposed
a fine of 3.5m roubles [approximately 1,620 dollars] on opposition activist Aksana
Novikava for staging an unauthorized demonstration in front of the Supreme Court's
building on 11 December 2003. The woman declared no confidence in the judge and
refused to speak at her trial. Novikava, who is unemployed and has a daughter
aged two years and eight months, received three fines totalling thousands of
US dollars for similar offences in the past.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2004/01/30/novikova

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THREE "ZUBR" ACTIVISTS ARRESTED IN BORISOV
14:48 30/01/2004

Young people were handing out information bulletin of "Viasna" Human right center
"Right for freedom". When almost all copies of the edition were distributed guys
were detained by group of people dressed in civil cloths lead by vice-chief of
Borisov police lieutenant colonel Vladimir Podobed. "Zubr" activists Aleksandr
Kazakov, Aleksandr Perelygin and Pavel Poddubny were taken to Borisov police
department. Police officers drew protocols for violating article 172-1 of Administrative
Code (violating of legislation about press and other media). They will be probably
fined. In about two hours they were released.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2004/01/30/zubr

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 STATEMENT OF BELARUSIAN PEN-CENTER
14:33 30/01/2004

We have found out from mass media about the facts of hindrance to edition and
distribution of "Belorrusskaya Delovaya Gazeta" by state bodies and the efforts
of the services, subordinate to state bodies, to liquidate the juridical address
of the Republican public association "Frantsysk Skaryna Belarusian Language Society"
and the newspapers "Nasha Slova" and "Novy Chas", issued with its participation.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2004/01/30/pen

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BELARUS TO STOP ELECTRIC POWER IMPORTS
13:46 30/01/2004, www.russiajournal.com

Belarus is going to switch to its own power-supply sources starting February,
abandoning its traditional suppliers of electric power, Russia and Lithuania,
completely. This was announced today by Belenergo concern head Sergey Bely at
the meeting of the Belarusian Ministry of Energy board.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2004/01/30/import

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CHARTER'97 BELARUS NEWS UPDATE
December, 30, 2003
http://charter97.org/eng/news/