On 19th December Alexander Lukashenko was “elected” President for the 4th time in a row. Why in quotes? Because, basically, Lukashenko elected himself. Even Lukashenko-positive citizens don’t have illusions on this topic.

At the same time about 700 people were detained during protests against false elections in Minsk. Most of them were judged using a traditional “conveyor belt” method – within 5 minutes for each case. We suggest inventing a Robojudge specially programmed to randomly generate verdicts – 10 days, 12 days, 15 days, a fine. Frankly speaking, we are really surprised at the fact that modern judges still need higher education. What a throw-back! Enough is to ask Bat’ka what to do with this or that criminal.

As a result, hundreds of people were arrested; a score got huge fines (more than an average month salary). 7 out of 10 candidates for presidency as well as their confidants got into KGB prison. Now KGB blames 26 people for organizing or participating in mass disorders (art. 239 of Belarusian Criminal code -BCC).

Several candidates’ confidants got detained in different Belarusian towns and arrested for 5-15 days.

Apart from the arrested and the detained a score of people inform about informal interrogations in KGB. The people are uneager to tell about what they were asked about. Oppositional activists face searches at home during which computers and other storage media are confiscated.

Right watch organizations and oppositional mass media experience great pressure. Thus, on Dec 28 there was a search in the editorial of the newspaper “Nasha Niva” and all office machines and equipment got confiscated. Similar situation happened in the office of Euroradio. In Vitebsk a journalist Vladimir Staroverov got an official warning prohibiting cooperation with non-accredited journalists. At the moment it is known about searches at several journalists’ places. Natalia Rodian, an editor of an oppositional site charter97.org is accused on the basis of art. 239 BCC.

During the last two weeks a rights watch activist Alena Tonkacheva was searched, a right watch activist Vladimir Hilmanovich from Grodno was interrogated by KGB, the house of Ales Kaputski, a right watch activist form Molodechno was searched and his computer equipment got confiscated; near Okrestino (the place where a part of the arrested are held) right watch activists Olga Damarad and Mikhail Matskevich got detained.

Also, Belarusian government took a decision not to prolong the mandate of the biggest world regional organization dealing with security – OSCE in Minsk, which refused to recognize the elections.

By this day 3 our comrades are staying under arrest – Mikalai Dziadok, Aliaksandr Frantskevich and Ihar Alinevich, who are being kept in Pre-trial detention facilities for different anarchist cases. More information about them is available at https://belarus.indymedia.org/blog/minsksolidarity

Concerning these instances we call all the readers to join the project of an independent media centre –Indymedia, where you can anonymously and secure publish news about repressions concerning you or your friends.

Such information spread is really important not only for the support of the arrested or interrogated, but will also deter the authority from hiding the situation in the country which they call “minor problems”. Moreover, free and anonymous access to the information protects from the struggle with “enemies of the nation” as well as develops the freedom of speech and critical thinking in society.