Stories about Belarus from May, 2006
Belarus: Lukashenko's Childhood and Family
Tobias Ljungvall writes about Aleksandr Lukashenko's difficult childhood and posts a photo of the dictator's aunt that he took in 2002. (Two photos of Lukashenko's wife have been added, too.)
Belarus, Russia: IMF Approves of Common Currency
TOL's Belarus Blog criticizes the IMF's approval of the common currency of Belarus and Russia: “Oh, yeah, IMF is not a political body and does not care or understand that...
Belarus: Hunger Strikes and Persecutions
Andrei Khrapavitski writes about “repressions and deaths” in Belarus, as well as two hunger strikes – by the young politicians and a businessman facing a 6-year sentence for tax evasion.
Belarus: Helsinki Committee Banned
Vilhelm Konnander reports on the ban of the Belarusian Helsinki Committee by Aleksandr Lukashenko's regime.
Belarus: Russian Ambassador on Pipeline
TOL's Belarus Blog writes about an interview with the Russian ambassador published in the Belarusian edition of a Russian paper: according to him, “Russia […] is firmly determined to take...
Belarus: Dzerzhinsky Monument Opens, Airspace Closes
Iryna of TOL's Belarus Blog writes about tomorrow's opening of a monument to Felix Dzerzhinsky at the Military Academy in Minsk: “Throughout his 12 years in power, Lukashenka has paid...
Belarus: On Trial for Text-Messaging
Iryna of TOL's Belarus Blog writes about an unprecedented (even for Belarus) trial: “We have become used to the fact that prominent academics and journalists are being sentenced to 15...
Belarus: Brief Blogosphere Update
TOL's Belarus Blog reports on the Belarusian blogosphere's lack of interest in such important issues as the EU's initiatives to freeze Aleksandr Lukashenko's assets and boycott an Interpol conference in...
Belarus: Off the MSM and Bloggers’ Radars
TOL's Belarus Blog cites Google Trends and Technorati to show that Belarus has virtually disappeared “from the radars of mainstream media” and bloggers.
Belarus: Soviet Pioneer Oranization's Anniversary
Ivan Lenin of Rush-Mush marks the 84th anniversary of Lenin All-Union Pioneer Organization by retelling one Belarusian bloggers’ story (in Russian) on how he got expelled from this Soviet youth...
Belarus: A Band to Help Chernobyl Children
TOL's Belarus Blog reports that a band called Thievery Corporation has released a new single on iTunes: the proceeds of the downloads of the song will go to the Chernobyl...
Belarus: Yury Radzivil Trial
TOL's Belarus Blog reports on the trial of Yury Radzivil: “Yury faces 6 years in prison just for actually being almost killed. The man who has shot few times in...
Belarus: Athletes and Fans For the White-Red-White Flag
TOL's Belarus Blog writes about Belarusian athletes speaking up for the outcast white-red-white flag – and Belarusian fans promoting it abroad: “There is one embarassment, though: Lukashenka cannot prevent waving...
Banned White-Red-White Flag of Belarus Travels Abroad
This flag used to be the official state flag of Belarus from 1991 to 1995. Following the controversial referendum of May 14, 1995, president Aleksandr Lukashenko banned it and reintroduced...
Belarus: Interpol Chief Disagrees With EU Members
TOL's Belarus Blog reports that certain EU representatives of Interpol plan to boycott the upcoming meeting in Belarus; Interpol's head rightly disagrees with their position: “‘Why use an apolitical organisation,...
Belarus: Political Refugees; Disinformation on Asylum Seekers
Leo Finkel of Maidan International writes about a press conference given by Belarusian political refugees in Kyiv; according to him, the number of Belarusian political asylum seekers will grow in...
Belarus: Fake Dissident
TOL's Belarus Blog writes about Mikhail Vashkevitch, an impostor in the Belarusian opposition's ranks, about to lose his asylum in Bulgaria: “I wish we were back to the times when...
Belarus: Ice Cream-Eating Flash-Mobbers Detained
EM of TOL's Belarus Blog thinks it'd be better for the Minsk flashmob community to move underground: “The problem with all of that is that KGB is reading those online...
Belarus: WFTU's Support for Lukashenko
TOL's Belarus Blog considers it a good idea to protest the World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU) leader's support for Lukashenko’s regime. WFTU “boasts of 129 million members in 130...
Belarus: Author of Denim Theme Faces Prison
Andrei Khrapavitski reports that “the author of the denim color theme for the Belarusian revolution, Mikita Sasim, may end up in prison for six months. The prosecutor demands such a...
Belarus: Graffiti Activist Sentenced
TOL's Belarus Blog writes about a 2-year prison sentence just given to a young activist for spraying political graffiti. Leaders of the opposition, on the other hand, are now being...
