BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

01/10/2007

Belarusian Authorities Thwart Opposition 'Social Pickets'

Police across Belarus on September 30 counteracted opposition activists' attempts to distribute printed material advertising the Social March, an opposition demonstration planned for November 4 against the upcoming abolition of benefits and privileges for low-income social groups, Belapan reported. The Belarusian Party of Communists (BPK) and the United Civic Party applied to the authorities in some 60 localities in Belarus for permission to set "social pickets" to pass out such material and collect signatures against the benefits cancellation. Out of the 458 pickets, permission was granted for just three. Police reportedly raided the homes of people who had filed applications, demanding a written pledge that they would not stage any pickets and threatening them with punishment if they dared to ignore the ban. On September 30, police officers briefly detained BPK deputy head Valery Ukhnalyou and several other BPK activists. On September 27, police seized some 14,000 copies of an issue of the BPK's "Tovarishch" newspaper, which was entirely devoted to protests against the abolition of benefits and privileges. "We have to be glad that the remaining 16,000 copies of the 30,000[-copy] print run will reach the reader," "Tovarishch" Editor in Chief Syarhey Vaznyak told Belapan. JM

Source:

http://www.rferl.org/newsline/2007/10/3-cee/cee-011007.asp