More Than 60 Oppositionists Reportedly Arrested In Belarus

Alyaksandr Milinkevich, leader of the opposition Movement for Freedom, told journalists on July 25 that more than 60 opposition activists have been detained throughout Belarus within the past five days, Belapan reported. The wave of arrests reportedly came as a preemptive measure ahead of a planned opposition protest in Minsk on July 27, which is to coincide with the 17th anniversary of Belarus's Declaration of State Sovereignty. In addition to four youth opposition activists jailed on July 24 (see "RFE/RL Newsline," July 25, 2007), Belarusian courts have also handed down jail sentences ranging from seven to 15 days to Alyaksey Shydlouski, Syarzhuk Klyuyeu, Alyaksey Bondar, Valyantsin Sakalouski, Alyaksandr Charnyshou, Kiryl Matskevich, and Uladzimir Syarheyeu. "We call for an end to political harassment by the authorities and the immediate release of [Pavel] Sevyarynets and [Alyaksey] Shein, and all other political prisoners in Belarus, including former presidential candidate Alyaksandr Kazulin," the U.S. Embassy in Belarus said in a statement on July 25. Sevyarynets and Shein were jailed on July 24 for 15 days each.