40 political prisoners over last days in Belarus

• 18.01.2008, 18:13

After the rally of entrepreneurs in Minsk on 10 January more than 40 people were detained. 23 people were sentenced to 15 days of arrest on the next day after the action. About 20 people were arrested during the week after the4 rally. Many of the detained were guarded to the special prison facility on Akrestin Street beaten by riot militiamen.

Emergency ambulance is called almost every day to Akrestin Street for the detained after the protest action on 10 January. As lawyer Vera Stramkouskaya says, emergency was called for Syargei Parsyukevich yesterday. He had asthmatic attack and fever.

Some days ago emergency ambulance was called for Tatyana Tishkevich. She is suspected to have pneumonia. Most cells of the correctional facility on Akrestin Street are cold, the wind blows from windows, so prisoners stuff chinks in window frames with paper towels. Doctors advised Tatyana to go to hospital, but the girl refused. Tatyana takes antibiotics at the moment.

Emergency was also called for Yury Kuksyuk, just after he had been guarded to the prison. He was suspected of having a rib injury. Yury said on the trial he was beaten brutally during the detention...

Ambulance took Syargei Klyueu to one of the Minsk hospitals. He is suffering from pain, and suspected of having appendicitis and kidney disease.

Participants of the rally of entrepreneurs were judged by the article “participation in unauthorised event.” The people, who were detained next days, were accused of “using of foul language.” Notably, the authorities used a new technique: they arrested people in the courts, where people came to support their friends, who had trials for the rally of entrepreneurs. Youth leader Zmiter Hvedaruk was arrested in such a way in the court of the Central district. He was beaten when being detained, and got 15 days of arrest.

Alyaksandr Stepanenka, youth activist of the United Civil Party, celebrated his 20th birthday in the cell on Akrestin Street on 17 January. As other participants of the unauthorised event of entrepreneurs, he was arrested for 15 days...

Here is a list of the arrested activist on 18 January 2007.

1. Raman Bagdanovich – 15 days of arrest

2. Alyaksandr Barazenka – 15 days of arrest

3. Paval Vinagradau – 15 days of arrest

4. Arseny Pakhomau – 15 days of arrest

5. Syargei Klyueu – 15 days of arrest

6. Palina Kuryanovich – 15 days of arrest

7. Anatol Lyabedzka – 15 days of arrest

8. Yan Mikhailau – 15 days of arrest

9. Mikhal Pashkevich – 15 days of arrest

10. Mikhal Kryvau – 15 days of arrest

11. Alyaksandr Stepanenka – 15 days of arrest

12. Tatyana Tishkevich – 20 days of arrest

13. Uladzimer Shyla – 15 days of arrest and fine 1.175.000 rubles

14. Anatol Shumchanka – 15 days of arrest

15. Yury Barkun – 15 days of arrest

16. Artyom Dubsky – 15 days of arrest

17. Andrei Radzivonau – 15 days of arrest

18. Igar Zhabarousky – 15 days of arrest

19. Alyaksndr Vazhakou – 15 days of arrest

20. Alyaksndra Lyndava – 15 days of arrest

21. Zorka A. Y. – 15 days of arrest

22. Yury Kuksyuk – 15 days of arrest

23. Ales Charnyshou – 15 days of arrest

Detained and arrested later:

24. Alyaksandr Makayeu – 15 days of arrest

25. Syargei PArsyukevich – 15 days of arrest

26. Ales Taustyka – 15 days of arrest

27. Katsyaryna Krasnova – 15 days of arrest

28. Kasya Galitskaya – 15 days of arrest

29. Yury Stankevich – 15 days of arrest

30. Uladzimer Syargeyeu – 15 days of arrest

31. Franak Vyachorka – 15 days of arrest

32. Lyudmila Atakulava – 15 days of arrest

33. Maksim Vinyarsky – 10 days of arrest

34. Antin Kalinousky – 10 days of arrest

35. Paval Kuryanovich – 20 days of arrest

36. Karen Akopau – 15 days of arrest

37. Aleg LYsko – 15 days of arrest

38. Zmiter Hvedaruk – 15 days of arrest

39. Yury Istomin – 3 days of arrest

40. Uladzimer Laryn – 15 days of arrest

41. Valadar Tsuranau – detained for 72 hour before trial

42. Vital Storazhau – detained

43. Alyaksandr Rubchenya – detained

The sentences were given by judges of the Maskouski district Gusakova O. A., Rudnitskaya Y. B., Audzeyenka V. A., Kuznyatsova N. A., Shastkou Y. V., Kazak V. V., Fralova Y. G., Shylko Y. N., and judges of the Central district Tatyana Paulyuchuk and Alyaksei Bychko, judge Dzmitry Metseyuk (Grodna).