The Investigative Committee of Belarus has charged administrators of the NEXTA channel with three criminal articles. Stepan Putsila, channel's owner, and Raman Protasevich, former editor-in-chief, are accused of organizing mass riots; organization of actions that grossly violate public order; inciting enmity.
Representatives of the EU’s member states have agreed on new sanctions against high-level Belarusian officials, including Alexander Lukashenko, the Russian state news agency TASS reported on Wednesday, November 4.
A source from a delegation to the Council of the European Union apparently confirmed that Lukashenko is on the forthcoming sanctions list. The source said that the EU Council is set to approve the list officially in the coming days.
On Twitter, RFE/RL Europe Editor Rikard Jozwiak reported that EU ambassadors are planning to impose asset freezes and visa bans on Lukashenko and 14 other Belarusian nationals on Friday, November 6.
According to Deutsche Welle, Brussels sources say the sanctions will target Lukashenko’s son Viktor (who is also his national security advisor), as well as his Chief of Staff Igor Sergeenko, and Belarus’s KGB chief Ivan Tertel.
A source from a delegation to the Council of the European Union apparently confirmed that Lukashenko is on the forthcoming sanctions list. The source said that the EU Council is set to approve the list officially in the coming days.
On Twitter, RFE/RL Europe Editor Rikard Jozwiak reported that EU ambassadors are planning to impose asset freezes and visa bans on Lukashenko and 14 other Belarusian nationals on Friday, November 6.
According to Deutsche Welle, Brussels sources say the sanctions will target Lukashenko’s son Viktor (who is also his national security advisor), as well as his Chief of Staff Igor Sergeenko, and Belarus’s KGB chief Ivan Tertel.
The term of office of Alexander Lukashenko as president of the Republic of Belarus officially expires on November 5, 2020. His previous inauguration took place on November 5, 2015. The presidential elections in Belarus on August 9 were not recognized by the United States, the European Union, and the OSCE. The European Parliament announced that on November 5, simultaneously with the end of Lukashenko's fifth term, he lost his legitimacy. Ukraine announced that Alexander Lukashenko will not be referred as President of Belarus from that day.
Citizens of Belarus, who wanted to bring law enforcement officers to justice for post-election violence, began to receive refusals from the Investigative Committee. Here is a piece of paper received by Yuri Kryvashei, an employee of the Ministry of Emergencies from Logoisk. Here is what he looked like 5 days after the arrest.
But the Logoisk district branch of the Investigative Committee “decided not to initiate a criminal case”
But the Logoisk district branch of the Investigative Committee “decided not to initiate a criminal case”
This photo shows a meeting “on remedies taken to counter the spread of viral infections.” It was held today by Alexander Lukashenko at the Palace of Independence.
The Ministry of Health said that the meeting was attended by representatives of all regions of the country, infectious disease experts, rectors of medical universities.
There is not a single person in a medical mask in the photo.
The Ministry of Health said that the meeting was attended by representatives of all regions of the country, infectious disease experts, rectors of medical universities.
There is not a single person in a medical mask in the photo.
Vladimir Astapenko, former Belarusian ambassador to Argentina, has joined Pavel Latushka’s team and the People's Anti-Crisis Administration. He will work in the area of foreign policy and trade.
“After leaving the diplomatic service, I gladly accepted Pavel Latushka's offer to join the People's Anti-Crisis Administration. I would also like to address civil servants. I am not calling you to follow my example: you probably know about my failed attempt to resign by agreement of the parties. But I urge all of you to show decency, which, as you know, does not imply heroism. But it presupposes non-participation in meanness,” Astapenko said in his video address released yesterday.
During his career, Vladimir Astapenko was Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus, Head of the Department of International Economic Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus, Consul General of the Republic of Belarus in the Netherlands.
“After leaving the diplomatic service, I gladly accepted Pavel Latushka's offer to join the People's Anti-Crisis Administration. I would also like to address civil servants. I am not calling you to follow my example: you probably know about my failed attempt to resign by agreement of the parties. But I urge all of you to show decency, which, as you know, does not imply heroism. But it presupposes non-participation in meanness,” Astapenko said in his video address released yesterday.
During his career, Vladimir Astapenko was Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus, Head of the Department of International Economic Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus, Consul General of the Republic of Belarus in the Netherlands.
Vladislav Batsyan, a student at the Academy of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, has recorded a video message where he claims that he with his own eyes saw how the election results were falsified and that he and other students had been taught to suppress the protests.
“I hoped to the last that the violence against peaceful protesters would stop. Two months have passed, but the situation is not changing. We, the cadets, are also being prepared to suppress the protests. Probably many have seen videos from the academy’s territory, where cadets in the full gear train. It was us. And if earlier I personally managed to avoid clashes with protesters, now I see that the authorities will throw all their forces to suppress peaceful protests. I do not intend to carry out criminal orders.”
“I hoped to the last that the violence against peaceful protesters would stop. Two months have passed, but the situation is not changing. We, the cadets, are also being prepared to suppress the protests. Probably many have seen videos from the academy’s territory, where cadets in the full gear train. It was us. And if earlier I personally managed to avoid clashes with protesters, now I see that the authorities will throw all their forces to suppress peaceful protests. I do not intend to carry out criminal orders.”
Human rights activists recognized 19 more people in Belarus as political prisoners. This statement was made in connection with information about the presentation of charges under Article 293 of the Criminal Code ("Riots"), the human rights center “Viasna” reports. According to human rights activists, as of November 5, there are 121 political prisoners in Belarus.
Yesterday evening people in masks broke into Nina Baginskaya’s apartment and said that they had to conduct an investigative experiment with her and that the case concerns her granddaughter, who lives with her.
“I opened the door, I open it to everyone, I'm not afraid. This is not the first time they come - to me, to my children and grandchildren,” said Baginskaya.
They performed the search, nothing was seized during it.
Later on, employees of the Main Directorate for Combating Organized Crime and Corruption have arrived at Nina Baginskaya's yard and have detained several people who came to support the activist. Among others, Nina’s son was detained.
“I opened the door, I open it to everyone, I'm not afraid. This is not the first time they come - to me, to my children and grandchildren,” said Baginskaya.
They performed the search, nothing was seized during it.
Later on, employees of the Main Directorate for Combating Organized Crime and Corruption have arrived at Nina Baginskaya's yard and have detained several people who came to support the activist. Among others, Nina’s son was detained.
Aleksandr Lukashenko took part in a solemn ceremony to inaugurate the Minsk metro third line that will span from the Kovalskaya Sloboda station to the Yubileinaya Ploshchad station. In order to take part in the ceremony, Lukashenko reached the station via the fare gate using an electronic card given to him by the staff of the Minsk metro. New stations will open for passengers only on November 7 at 12:30.
“Minsk should gradually switch from vehicles powered by internal combustion engines to electric transport. This will be good for people's health,” Lukashenko said. In this regard, he mentioned the Belarusian nuclear power plant. Its first power unit has already been neglected to the country's unified power grid. “Electricity will be abundant. Our protesters are complaining that we have nowhere to use it. How come? We need to build another plant to get away from hydrocarbon dependence. It is a blessing,” Lukashenko said.
“Minsk should gradually switch from vehicles powered by internal combustion engines to electric transport. This will be good for people's health,” Lukashenko said. In this regard, he mentioned the Belarusian nuclear power plant. Its first power unit has already been neglected to the country's unified power grid. “Electricity will be abundant. Our protesters are complaining that we have nowhere to use it. How come? We need to build another plant to get away from hydrocarbon dependence. It is a blessing,” Lukashenko said.
“But if the disputed elections galvanized the Belarusian people to action, it also had a profound effect on the Belarusian diaspora – particularly in Canada.”
“Protests galvanize Belarusian Canadian community” by Marco Levytsky
http://www.ukrweekly.com/uwwp/protests-galvanize-belarusian-canadian-community/
“Protests galvanize Belarusian Canadian community” by Marco Levytsky
http://www.ukrweekly.com/uwwp/protests-galvanize-belarusian-canadian-community/
In the Hrodna region, 19 people quit from the police. This was told by the head of the Hrodna region Internal Affairs department Vadim Sinyavsky.
“There were 19 people who, because of their views, did not agree to execute the assigned tasks and decided to quit. I announced to the personnel: if someone, for some reason, does not want to continue being on duty, just submit a report, and tomorrow there will be an order to dismiss by agreement of the parties.”
But he recalled: “If a person received payment for the signing of the contract, he will be obliged to return the money. And this is what I saw as the result: the team has got very united, the employees became even more confident in each other.”
“There were 19 people who, because of their views, did not agree to execute the assigned tasks and decided to quit. I announced to the personnel: if someone, for some reason, does not want to continue being on duty, just submit a report, and tomorrow there will be an order to dismiss by agreement of the parties.”
But he recalled: “If a person received payment for the signing of the contract, he will be obliged to return the money. And this is what I saw as the result: the team has got very united, the employees became even more confident in each other.”
“A STREET WAR HAS STARTED. AND IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO STOP THE RIOTS WITHOUT VIOLENCE”
Today, the deputy head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Gennady Kazakevich met with students at the MSLU. In addition to Kazakevich, the meeting was attended by Olga Chemodanova, a press secretary of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Here are selected quotations from Kazakevich’s speech:
ABOUT THE ELECTIONS
“I will deliberately avoid answering how transparent the elections were or vice versa. The elections have passed. And the head of state was elected and, believe me, he was legally elected. [...] After the elections, a street war has started. And it is impossible to stop the riots without violence.”
ABOUT AKRESTINA JAIL
"Not a single fact of rape of women has been proven.” He also showed a prepared video, calling the woman who spoke about the rape "a professional prostitute.”
ABOUT THE DEATH OF ALEXANDER TARAIKOVSKY
“I won't talk about his personality, although I know a lot. Death is always a tragedy. It is unethical to comment on this, remember, and in a couple of years, you will understand me. At the moment, the investigation is conducting examinations to uncover what happened. Please be patient, we will find out everything in the near future.”
ABOUT THE DETENTION OF MSLU STUDENTS ON SEPTEMBER 4
“Were there BCHB flags? There were. Were there banners? There were. This means that an unauthorized event was held at your university. Police officers warned the audience and used all legal means to restore the disturbed order.”
ABOUT THE NUMBER OF PROTESTERS
“Last Sunday there were 3,000 people. No, though. Rather, 2600.”
ABOUT THE "HEXTA" PROJECT
“We call him General Nexta among ourselves. Don't you think that such calls are being directed from the outside?”
“Idea, and most importantly, a form of protest is brought into your mind.”
It was reported that many students began to voluntarily leave the meeting before its end.
Today, the deputy head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Gennady Kazakevich met with students at the MSLU. In addition to Kazakevich, the meeting was attended by Olga Chemodanova, a press secretary of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Here are selected quotations from Kazakevich’s speech:
ABOUT THE ELECTIONS
“I will deliberately avoid answering how transparent the elections were or vice versa. The elections have passed. And the head of state was elected and, believe me, he was legally elected. [...] After the elections, a street war has started. And it is impossible to stop the riots without violence.”
ABOUT AKRESTINA JAIL
"Not a single fact of rape of women has been proven.” He also showed a prepared video, calling the woman who spoke about the rape "a professional prostitute.”
ABOUT THE DEATH OF ALEXANDER TARAIKOVSKY
“I won't talk about his personality, although I know a lot. Death is always a tragedy. It is unethical to comment on this, remember, and in a couple of years, you will understand me. At the moment, the investigation is conducting examinations to uncover what happened. Please be patient, we will find out everything in the near future.”
ABOUT THE DETENTION OF MSLU STUDENTS ON SEPTEMBER 4
“Were there BCHB flags? There were. Were there banners? There were. This means that an unauthorized event was held at your university. Police officers warned the audience and used all legal means to restore the disturbed order.”
ABOUT THE NUMBER OF PROTESTERS
“Last Sunday there were 3,000 people. No, though. Rather, 2600.”
ABOUT THE "HEXTA" PROJECT
“We call him General Nexta among ourselves. Don't you think that such calls are being directed from the outside?”
“Idea, and most importantly, a form of protest is brought into your mind.”
It was reported that many students began to voluntarily leave the meeting before its end.
More than 500 artists demanded to reinstate the dismissed stars of the Opera.
“The dismissal of leading musicians of Belarus today is a blow to our culture, the consequences of which will last for years,” the open letter reads
Earlier top performers were fired because before the play began, they spoke out from the stage against violence and lawlessness in Belarus.
“The dismissal of leading musicians of Belarus today is a blow to our culture, the consequences of which will last for years,” the open letter reads
Earlier top performers were fired because before the play began, they spoke out from the stage against violence and lawlessness in Belarus.