On April 26 near the building of the UN Headquarters in New York the Belarusian Yiouth movement of America held a picket dedicated to the 22nd anniversary of the technogenic catastrophe at Chernobyl nuclear power station.

Youth activist Andrei Kim is sentenced to 1.5 year in penal colony by the Tsentralny district court of Minsk. Other participant of the trial of 14 – Alyaksei Bondar, Artsyo Dubski, Mikhas Kryvay, Mikhas Pashekvich, Ales Straltsou, Ales Charnyshou, Tatsyana Tsishkevich - are sentenced to correctional works without sending them to penitentiary institutions. They must charge the state 20 per cent of their wages. Anton Koipish and Uladzimir Sayrheeu are fined of 100 basic units. The judgement was read by judge Alena Illina.

The leader of the Young Front Zmitser Dashkevich was released from the special detention center in Akrestsin Street. He has spent 15 days there for participation in the peaceful rally on the holiday, Freedom Day. During the arrest Dashkevich was brutally beaten up, like many other participants of the rally. Photos of his face after riot policemen did that job on him, was published in newspapers all over the world. IN an interview to the Charter’97 press-center Zmitser Dashkevich told that riot policemen were beating him with fists and ankle boots.

Friends! The Belarusian authorities have tightened repression against democratic activists for the first moths of 2008. Solemn peaceful demonstration on 25 March, dedicated to proclamation of the Belarusian National Republic’s independence, was broken up violently.