BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

24/03/2006

EU presidency calls for Belarus to release protestors

BRUSSELS (AFX) - The European Union's Austrian presidency called Friday on the Belarussian authorities to release protestors arrested in the night and respect the freedom to assemble.

'We urge the Belarus authorities to respect the freedom of assembly and to release the prisoners,' Austrian Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik said as she arrived for a summit in Brussels of EU leaders.

Belarus quashed an unprecedented protest against veteran President Alexander Lukashenko early Friday, smashing a tent camp in central Minsk and arresting hundreds of young opposition activists.

Source:

http://www.forbes.com/home/feeds/afx/2006/03/24/afx2619030.html