BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

05/06/2007

Belarusian Court Jails Students Protesting Loss Of Benefits

A district court in Minsk on June 4 sentenced six students to jail terms from three to five days, finding them guilty of participation in an unauthorized demonstration, Belapan and RFE/RL's Belarus Service reported. Alyaksandr Barzenka, Pavel Chumakou, Pavel Viltouski, Vadzim Baravik, Pavel Vinahradau, and Pavel Markevich were arrested on June 1 when some 100 students marched in downtown Minsk to protest the government's plans to abolish state benefits for some social groups, including the students' privilege of only having to pay half of the fare for a ticket on public transport. The crowd carried a coffin-like object with the word "benefits" written on it. Belarus's lower house, the Chamber of Representatives, passed a bill in May abolishing benefits for some parts of the population (see "RFE/RL Newsline," May 24, 2007). JM

Source:

http://www.rferl.org/newsline/2007/06/3-CEE/cee-050607.asp