CHARTER'97 BELARUS NEWS UPDATE
February, 26, 2003
http://charter97.org/eng/news/
---------------------------------------------------------

CONTROL OVER CURRENCY TRANSACTIONS TO BECOME STRICTER
16:22 26/02/2004, photo by ByMedia.net

The Committee of State Control (CSC) began drawing up a draft standard act envisaging
aggravation of responsibility (including a prohibition of further business activities)
for violations of currency transactions order by legal entities and small entrepreneurs
when selling goods, works and services for foreign currency. This was informed
by the CSC press service on Thursday to Interfax.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2004/02/26/control

---------------------------------------------------------

BELARUS: INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM REPORT 2003
14:00 26/02/2004, Released by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor

The U.S. Department of State The US published its annual report on human rights
situation in the world on February 25. The section concerning Belarus contains
the following: In Belarus, the Lukashenka Government continued to restrict freedom
of speech and press and took further measures to restrict freedom of association
and assembly. The Government increased pressure on human rights and other NGOs,
interfering with their work and closing many down. The Government failed to suspend
or take any other action against senior regime officials implicated in the disappearance
of opposition and press members. Addressing abuses in Belarus became a priority
for the United States as we returned as a member of the U.N. Commission on Human
Rights (UNCHR).
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2004/02/26/report

---------------------------------------------------------

CITY PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE AGAINST IRYNA KHALIP
13:06 26/02/2004

The general prosecutor's office has reversed the decision on suspension of the
criminal case against Iryna Khalip, deputy editor-in-chief of the "Belorusskaya
Delovaya Gazeta" for publishing an article "Afghan Greyhounds" in the supplement
"Dlia sluzhebnogo polzovaniya" ("Restricted") of the newspaper "Belorusskaya
Delovaya Gazeta" (BDG) a year and a half ago.  In the article Khalip told about
the details of the criminal case of the former concern "Belgospischeprom" president
Viktar Kazeka and his son Andrei Kazeka, former head of sales department of "Kryshtal"
company, who were accused of bribery and embezzlement of state property. Iryna
Khalip is now a witness in the case of libeling of Viktar Sheiman, Prosecutor
General. Iryna Khalip's case is investigated by Viktar Feschenka, the gravest
crimes' investigator from Minsk prosecutor's office.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2004/02/26/delo

---------------------------------------------------------

IRYNA KHALIP CAN BE ARRESTED
13:02 26/02/2004

Journalist Iryna Khalip was summoned to the city prosecutor's office of Minsk
for today morning at 10 a.m..  Yesterday after 8 p.m. law-enforcing agencies'
officers tried to enter her apartment, who produced a warrant for forcible arrest.
After the reporter refused to follow them, she got a summons for today. It is
probable that she can be arrested today.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2004/02/26/halip

---------------------------------------------------------

BRITISH AMBASSADOR: BELARUS COULD BECOME EU MEMBER SOMEDAY
14:43 26/02/2004

"The European Union does not exclude that Belarus could become its member one
day, certainly if it would be the desire of the Belarusians themselves," said
the British ambassador to Belarus Brian Bennett at the meeting with students
of the Belarusian National Technical University (BNTU) in Minsk on February 25.
He underscored that in addition to desire to join the EU, the country should
also meet certain requirements of the organization. For Belarus to meet the EU
requirements "it should walk a long way", British ambassador believes. At the
moment, he said, "we are dissatisfied" with the situation with human rights,
mass media crackdown, shut down of newspapers and NGOs in Belarus, and by "very
slow" reforming of economy. He also emphasized that the European countries, the
Great Britain in particular, "would be happy" to share with Belarus their experience
in the sphere of reforms, however, it is essential that such a desire should
come from the country itself".
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2004/02/26/posol

---------------------------------------------------------

LATVIA TO SUPPLY ELECTRIC POWER TO BELARUS
14:11 26/02/2004, Interfax

Belarus has reached an understanding with Latvia under which Latvia will supply
electric power to Belarus, an official of the Belenergo concern told Interfax
on Thursday. The understanding was documented during Belenergo general director
Sergei Belovs visit to Riga on February 23-24. Although the exact amount to be
supplied has not been specified, the official said it could be up to 200 million
kilowatt hrs (kWh) a year. Belarus plans to purchase excessive amounts of energy
that Latvian hydraulic power stations may offer during spring floods.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2004/02/26/latvia

---------------------------------------------------------

SOLIDARITY ACTION IN BELARUS IN AMSTERDAM
14:09 26/02/2004

An action of solidarity with Belarusian opposition was carried out by activists
of the Amnesty International in Amsterdam on Tuesday. The protest was held in
Amsterdam University. Stands with portraits of missing and logos of the youth
resistance movement Zubr stood in the hall of the University. Human rights activists
offered students to sign appeal to Alyaksandar Lukashenka with the demand to
stop persistent violations of International Convention on civil and political
rights. They paid special attention to violations of Articles 19, 21 and 22,
where the freedom of expression and freedom of speech, right for peaceful assemblies
and associations, including trade unions, are proclaimed. Besides, the students
and professors were given information materials on human rights violations in
Belarus, and about abducted politicians in particular. After collecting signatures,
Amnesty activists threw parts of Lukashenka's portraits on the floor and swept
them away. On the next day the appeal with signatures of more than a hundred
of students was sent to Lukashenka.
http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2004/02/26/amst

---------------------------------------------------------
CHARTER'97 BELARUS NEWS UPDATE
February, 26, 2003
http://charter97.org/eng/news/