BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

27/12/2006

Belarusian Authorities Release Election Monitor On Parole

Election monitor Tsimafey Dranchuk was released on parole on December 26 from a correctional facility in Minsk, where he was serving a one-year sentence, Belapan and RFE/RL's Belarus Service reported. Dranchuk was sentenced along with Mikalay Astreyka, Alyaksandr Shalayka, and Enira Branitskaya in August on a charge of running the unregistered Partnyorstva (Partnership) organization (see "RFE/RL Newsline," August 7, 2006), which gained prominence for its observation effort during Belarus's parliamentary elections and referendum in October 2004. Astreyka's two-year sentence was unexpectedly replaced with one of community service in November. The community sentence requires Astreyka to stay at home from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m., report to the local police department on a regular basis, and give 15 percent of his earnings to the government. Shalayka and Branitskaya, who were sentenced to six months in prison each, were released in August. JM

Source:

http://www.rferl.org/newsline/2006/12/3-cee/cee-271206.asp

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