Despite its position bordering the European Union, political repression continues in Belarus. It probably won't get much attention in the Ireland, but today saw the imprisionment of Zmitser Dashkevich leader of the youth politcal movement Malady Front or Young Front.

Below is a summary of the trial which I sent from youth politicals active in the region.

Zmitser Dashkevich, the Leader of the Youth Organisation of Belarus “Young Front”, Has Been Sentenced To 1,5 Year Term of Imprisonment.

Today on November 1, 2006 Zmitser Dashkevich, the leader of the youth organisation of Belarus “Young Front”, has been sentenced to one and a half year term of imprisonment according to Article 193 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus “activity from the name of unregistered organisation”. A closed trial of the case has taken only 2 days.

Zmitser Dashkevich’s attorney Aliaksandr Halieu thinks that such a quick trial happened due to the absence of a great number of witnesses. He notes that the process of the trial has been completely carried out. The trial started on October, 31 and ended on November, 1.

The Ambassadors of the EU countries and the USA as well as several journalists have been permitted to present during the announcement of the verdict. The ambassadors agreed that Belarusian authorities more and more isolate the country by putting into prison the activists like Dashkevich.

A month before the trial Zmitser had been kept in a detention place. Previously he was also arrested several times for participation in peaceful actions of opposition and was in the detention place during the manifestations against the results of the presidential elections in March, 2006 in Minsk City.

The Article of the Criminal Code “activity from the name of unregistered organisation” had been put into force before the Presidential Elections of 2006. The observers thought it had been made with the aim to press civil activists and those, who defend human rights in Belarus.

3 members of unregistered organisation “Partnerstva” /“Partnership”/ were imprisoned according to the same Article this year. The members of the organisation had fulfilled the functions of independent Belarusian observers at the elections.

The former leader of “Young Front” Paval Seviarynets was sentenced for 2 years of hard labour for organizing the action of protest against the official results of the Referendum and Parliament’s Elections in October 2004 and in reality for active participation in civil life of the country. This summer Arthur Finkevich, “Young Front’s” activist was sentenced to 2 years of correctional labour term for writing graffiti “We want someone new!” Last month civil activist Paval Krasouski was detained as a suspected in organizing a terrorist act. His fate still is not clear. This list is far from to be complete.

The abovementioned facts are nothing but a Belarusian reality.
I don't have the link to the above, so apologies for the complete text.

The Belarus Tol Bloghas more details.

I'd be interested in seeing what posters here think that people in Ireland can do about an issue such as this.