BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

10/12/2006

Belarusian Police Arrest Demonstrators

MINSK, December 10, 2006 -- Police in Belarus today detained about 20 opposition supporters who staged a protest in the capital, Minsk, according to RFE/RL's Belarus Service.

The rally was a demonstration of support for Alyaksandr Kazulin, who challenged longtime incumbent President Alyaksandr Lukashenka in a recent election and is now serving a 5 1/2-year prison term for organizing banned demonstrations.

Belarusian authorities routinely stifle dissent, and critics accuse officials of jailing political opponents of the administration on trumped-up or arcane charges.

Source:

http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2006/12/F625317F-3C78-4C6F-9B54-275B1A0869C9.html