BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

06/02/2007

Belarusian Oppositionists Arrested in Their Homes

After a short interval spent on gas-oil squabbling with Russia, Belarus authorities resumed war against their opposition. Nearly 30 activists of Malady Front youth movement were arrested in Minsk on Sunday. The movement is known for its participation is mass protest rallies. Belarusian Ministry of Justice issued a written warning to three left-wing parties that supported opposition candidates at the last year's presidential election.

Young oppositionists were arrested in a private apartment which hosted the session of Malady Front's central council. For seven hours, nothing was known about the detained. Late at night, one of them was let out, and he said that another activist of the movement is threatened with initiating a criminal case against him.

Later on, Malady Front activist Oleg Korbun was arrested and taken to unknown location. He is now kept in an investigatory isolation ward. Similar "special actions" were taken against activists Alexei Yanushkevich, Nastya Polozhanka, Yaroslav Grishchen, and Zmiter Fedoruk.

Meanwhile, Belarusian Ministry of Justice made attempts to close down a number of opposition parties. The parties announced they will appeal against the Ministry's warnings to the Supreme Court of Belarus. However, the court began considering the Ministry's lawsuit for suspending the activities of one of the parties, the Communist Party of Belarus.

Source:

http://www.kommersant.com/p740030/Belarus_Opposition_Arrests/