BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

11/10/2007

Belarus opposition activists held for questioning

(MINSK) - Several Belarus opposition activists were held for questioning Thursday ahead of a demonstration on Saturday in favour of European Union membership, human rights and opposition sources said.

In the western city of Grodno, two regional activists of the United Civic Party (OGP) were ordered to be held in jail for up to seven days on public order charges, OGP head Anatoli Lebedko told AFP.

In Vitebsk, in the north, police took away an activist of the "For Freedom" group, Charter 97, the human rights organisation said.

Several activists opposed to hardline President Alexander Lukashenko's rule have been arrested in recent days ahead of the planned "European March" in Minsk in support of Belarus joining the EU.

Saturday's protest will also call for more democratic freedoms and the release of political prisoners in Belarus, which has been condemned by Washington as the last dictatorship in Europe.

Source:

http://www.eubusiness.com/news_live/1192118521.46