28 October 2020 | Infocenter Free Belarus 2020
Source: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Belarus via TUT.BY
8:00 am Belarusian ambassador to Argentina Vladimir Astapenko resigned on the day of the secret inauguration of Alexander Lukashenko on 23 September.
But the other day he withdrew the resignation and submitted a new one, now the ambassador has resigned due to the employer violating law.
“After the inauguration on 23 September, I submitted a letter of resignation by agreement of the parties in accordance with Paragraph 1 of Article 35, Part 2 of the Labor Code of the Republic of Belarus. There was no reaction. Now I have withdrawn this application and submitted a new one on 27 October, demanding that I be dismissed from the ambassador position on the basis of Article 41 – regarding violations of the law by employers who hinder my work performance as it is described in the employment contract,” said Vladimir Astapenko, as quoted by TUT.BY.
He believes that his employer’s actions create objective grounds for non-recognition of the legitimacy of the head of state and the international isolation of Belarus.
In particular, in his opinion, the current government has allowed:
- Numerous violations of the fundamental rights and freedoms of citizens of Belarus, enshrined in the Constitution of the country and its international legal obligations.
- Obvious and gross falsification of the results of the presidential elections, which led to their non-recognition by the 27 EU member states, Great Britain, the USA, Canada, Ukraine, and other countries.
- Unjustifiably harsh reaction from law enforcement agencies (use of excessive force and special measures) in response to lawful peaceful protests.
- Unlawful delay in making a decision to open a criminal case on the facts of murder, torture, violence, mass beatings, arbitrary detention, giving false testimony by law enforcement agencies.
- Failure to comply with the requirements of national legislation and international legal customs, which demand to ensure maximum transparency when organizing the inauguration ceremony.
“The lack of international legitimacy of the head of state does not allow me, as a diplomat and as a patriot of my country, to continue conscientiously fulfilling the duties of an ambassador, being subordinate to a person who has no right to express the will of the Belarusian people,” Astapenko said.
Source: TUT.BY
8:09 am In the morning of 28 October, Minsk City Clinical Hospital No 6 doctors started a protest in support of the strikers and repressed.
“We have no moral right to strike, but we express solidarity with all brave people who are not afraid to defend our rights. We are thinking of all political prisoners, students, workers, pensioners. Thank you all for your fight and support,” the doctors wrote to Nasha Niva and sent a video.
8:18 am US presidential candidate from the Democratic Party Joe Biden promised on Tuesday to seek expansion of sanctions against persons from Alexander Lukashenko’s circle.
“The international community should significantly expand sanctions against Lukashenko’s henchmen and freeze the offshore accounts where they keep their stolen wealth,” said Biden, as quoted by Reuters.
“As president, I will also work together with our European partners and allies in order to develop a plan of economic support for a truly sovereign, democratic Belarus,” he promised.
“I will continue to support Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya and the people of Belarus in their appeal for a peaceful transfer of power, the release of all political prisoners and a free and fair election, so that Belarusians can finally enjoy the democratic rights in the struggle for which they suffered such sacrifices,” the politician pointed out.
He once again accused Trump of “refusing to speak out” in support of the Belarusian people.
9:01 am The United States will continue to support Belarusian citizens protesting against Lukashenko, said US State Department spokesperson Morgan Ortagus.
“The United States and the world stand in solidarity with the people of Belarus. They have demonstrated remarkable courage and strength in the face of brutal repression. We will continue to support their legitimate aspirations,” Ortagus tweeted.
9:20 am Last Tuesday, in Belarus, where protests continue, and protesters attempt to go on a country-wide strike (what is already happening is a great achievement for Belarus), at least 62 people were detained.
This is reported by volunteers on the Telegram channel “Detainee List”. As reported, in the previous two days, 25-26 October, according to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Belarus, 1104 people were detained in the country. Since the beginning of the protests, the number of those detained in Belarus has already exceeded 20 thousand.
9:20 am Vitebsk doctors, who recorded a video message to the authorities and people of Belarus, were warned by the Prosecutor’s Office about “the inadmissibility of publicly discrediting the authorities, distorted view of the socio-political situation in the country, and other actions that could cause harm to the national interests of Belarus.” If they don’t heed these warnings, they might be prosecuted. Healthcare workers told this TUT.BY.
9:39 am Two people charged with “felonies” for writing “We will not forget” on Pushkinskaya Street.
In September, two Minsk residents were detained after they tried to restore the memorial to Aliaksandr Taraikouski – the inscription on the asphalt “We will not forget”. Now they are charged under two articles of the Criminal Code, for which they face punishment up to 10 years.
Source: TUT.BY
10:21 am The AFN news portal reports that today at about 3:30 am an unknown man approached the traffic police building of the Mazyr District Police Department, broke the window on the first floor and threw a bottle of flammable liquid inside the room.
A fire started, which was localized within the same office room. As a result of the fire, the walls, floor, windowsill, and office equipment were damaged. According to the press service of the Investigative Committee of the Republic of Belarus, there are no casualties.
As the Ministry of Internal Affairs specifies that the Molotov cocktail was thrown into the office used by a local volunteer group. The offender also wrote “Retribution!” on the outside wall under the broken window.
10:51 am Belarusian enterprises’ losses increased more than 6 times.
The losses incurred by companies in Belarus in January-July of this year increased by 6.2 times compared to the same period last year and reached BYN 4,662.9 million (approx. USD 1,816 million).
This data is provided in the Belarusian National Bank’s analytical review for January-August 2020 “Main trends in the economy and monetary sphere of the Republic of Belarus”.
11:28 am Grodno-Azot retrospectively dismissed 11 employees, the Grodno-Azot strike committee writes on their Telegram channel.
“Today, 11 people were dismissed from the Azot workshop, 2 from the Electric Power Engineering Centre, and 1 from the Ammonia-3 workshop. We were just going to work,” the message says.
In addition, the trial of the previously detained Ammonia-3 workshop representative in the strike committee, Alexander Zhuk, is to be held today.
All Grodno-Azot workshops work today. However, according to the Telegram channel, the plant workers are joining the strike one by one.
“There will be a strike,” the strike committee quotes the plant workers.
11:28 am The Viasna Human Rights Centre reports that human rights activists and political prisoners’ families are creating the civil initiative “Release-2020”.
“The purpose of this initiative is to convey the voices of political prisoners’ families to the Belarusian and international society, to organize joint events to support each other, to strengthen solidarity in society,” the message says.
11:37 am Protest mood is running strong in the country’s main university. The results of a student survey serve as the evidence. This data was published in the Telegram channel “BSU 97 ASSOCIATION”.
Reportedly, when asked, “How do you feel about the threat of expulsion?” 71% of the respondents (about 1,140 students were surveyed) answered that they were “more or less ready for protests.”
17% are in favor of the “partisan approach” (protest without consequences), and 12% are completely afraid to protest.
Based on this, the survey organizers conclude that “despite the threats, the protest mood among the students is high.”
12:10 pm Former political prisoner and political strategist Vitaly Shklyarov is being treated in a Washington clinic after he suffered coronavirus during his imprisonment in Belarus. Shklyarov is a US citizen. It is suspected that US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo spoke with Lukashenko about his release.
12:13 pm The medical personnel of the Minsk Scientific and Practical Center for Surgery, Transplantology and Hematology are standing in a solidarity chain.
12:14 pm Students of the BSU Faculty of Applied Mathematics and Computer Science continue their sit-in strike.
12:15 pm According to unconfirmed sources, the Acting Minister of Health of Belarus Dmitry Pinevich and his deputy Elena Bogdan have contracted coronavirus. It should be stressed that these two individuals are responsible for concealing true information about the coronavirus situation in Belarus.
12:20 pm Due to coronavirus, planned medical treatment has been suspended in Minsk.
12:21 pm Following a conflict involving a faculty head during the protests at the Belarusian State University of Informatics and Radioelectronics, a criminal case has been instigated against a student for “preparing actions which grossly violate public order or active participation in them.”
12:24 pm Viktor Mankevich, a worker of “Atlant” Plant, climbed onto the plant’s stack holding a white-red-white flag, where he recorded his very stern message to Lukashenko, urging him to resign.
12:28 pm Due to the strikes at “Grodno Azot”, the management has called the retired employees of the enterprise offering them work in the ammonia shop, which is considered a hazardous process.
12:30 pm During a solidarity action, seven MTS mobile operator employees have been detained by the riot police.
12:33 pm Students of Belarusian State Academy of Arts continue their strike in support of three students who were expelled yesterday for their participation in the protests.
12:45 pm Future doctors continue their strike at the Belarusian State Medical University.
12:45 pm Fence height is increased around the Belarusian State Technical University so that the students cannot climb over it.
12:55 pm People are forming solidarity chains in different parts of Minsk.
12:56 pm Cyber Partisans announce that “Grodno Azot” website has been hacked. This plant’s site is not available now.
12:57 pm Students of the Minsk State Linguistic University are around to start their strike.
12:58 pm Over 200 graduates of the International University MITSO have signed their appeal to stop pressure on students.
1:05 pm Pensions in Belarus will grow on average by 1 Belarusian rouble.
1:12 pm “Deputies” have ratified a treaty on mutual recognition of visas with Russia.
1:14 pm The exchange rates of the US dollar and the Euro against the Belarusian ruble have risen sharply during today’s trading.
1:15 pm Alexander Zhuk, an employee of “Grodno Azot”, was sentenced to 30 days of imprisonment for participating in “unsanctioned mass events.” He is threatened with a criminal case for “calling for a strike.”
1:23 pm MSLU students gathered in the assembly hall to discuss the strike.
1:35 pm The management of the Linguistic Humanities College prohibits the students’ parents from entering the college for a discussion with the management. The students are chanting “Let them in!”
1:38 pm IT specialists have brought pizza to the BGUIR students to support them in their strike.
1:39 pm Riot police have been seen in the premises of the Belarusian State Pedagogical University.
1:39 pm Students of the Belarusian State Technical University are collecting signatures in support of the students’ demands which will be delivered to the University’s management.
1:44 pm Students are taking part in a sit-in strike in the International University MITSO.
1:45 pm “Grodno Azot” employees who take part in the strike are being dismissed. It is not clear where new personnel will come from. It is a legal requirement for an employee of such a hazardous process to pass at least one year of training.
1:50 pm “Atlant” employee Viktor Mankevich has been forcibly removed from the plant’s stack and arrested by the police and KGB officers. A group of his supporters are being dispersed by the plant’s management and riot police.
1:52 pm Yury Karlenko, BSTU student, has been detained by unidentified men in plainclothes.
2:02 pm Police have entered the premises of the Grodno State University in order to disperse the students who arranged a tea drinking event at the University.
2:11 pm Following three days of imprisonment, the famous Belarusian historian, professor Ales Krautsevych has been freed. He was sentenced by the court to a 270 Belarusian roubles fine for participation in the protests.
2:19 pm According to unconfirmed information “Motolkohelp” channel, Minsk Opera and Ballet Theatre will be shut for a month from tomorrow. Coronavirus is the official reason, however, the real reason is the solidarity event which took place yesterday, during which the opera artists performed the national anthem “Mahutny Bozha” instead of the “The Tsar’s Bride” opera.
Source: Aleksandr Zhdanovich, TUT.BY
2:23 pm Today’s performance of “Poem without words” has been cancelled at Grodno Puppet Theatre. Coronavirus is the official reason, however, it became known that the artists were planning to show their solidarity with the actors who had been dismissed and arrested.
2:26 pm Students of the Belarusian State University of Physical Culture continue their strike.
2:27 pm Proceeds to the state budget have contracted by 17.9% for the last 9 months of this year compared to the same period the last year.
2:39 pm Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya held an online meeting with Norwegian Foreign Minister Ine Marie Eriksen Soreide. They discussed the situation in Belarus and the possibilities of assistance from Norway. Sviatlana thanked Norway for its tough policy towards the regime and support for sanctions.
2:41 pm The detained BSTU student Yuriy Karlenka was freed after his phone and academic record book had been checked.
2:44 pm In Polotsk, a police car was fired from a pneumatic pistol. A criminal case has been initiated.
2:45 pm The administration of the Minsk Motor Plant dismissed the activist of the independent trade union REP Andrei Komlik-Yamatin. Immediately after his dismissal he was arrested by the police. Andrei Komlik-Yamatin is a former political prisoner in the White Legion case.
2:48 pm Students of the Faculty of Philosophy and Social Science and Journalism Faculty of the BSU are taking part in the protest (the faculties are located in the same building). They are singing a song from the cartoon “The Bremen Town Musicians”.
2:50 pm One of the representatives of the MITSO administration aggressively rushed at a student for some reason, trying to snatch the phone from her hands.
2:51 pm Riot police have also been seen in BSTU.
2:57 pm Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya held talks with Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Reinsalu. They discussed where to send aid in the amount of 500 thousand Euros allocated by Estonia to support Belarusian civil society.
3:02 pm In the last 24 hours, there have been 936 new COVID-19 cases in Belarus.
3:02 pm Minsk State Linguistic University students are collecting signatures to demand resignation of prof. Pischikov, who was demonstrating obscene gestures to the students at the protest rally on 26 October.
3:04 pm Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya discussed the situation at Belaruskali with the Norwegian Foreign Minister.
The human rights situation at Belaruskali, among other issues, has become the topic of discussion at the online meeting of Svetlana Tikhanovskaya with the Norwegian Foreign Minister Ine Marie Eriksen Søreide.
3:09 pm Peter Butrym, former CTV (a state owned channel) reporter in Brest, has been sentenced to 8 days in jail.
3:09 pm Yuri Karaev, the Interior Minister, has openly stated that the authorities are at war with the people of Belarus.
“There is a war going on, and it looks like we are still getting ready for it. I am telling every regional policeman that his life and the happiness of his family depends on how quickly he can draw his weapon.”
3:18 pm The Belarusian diaspora has collectively expressed distrust towards Uladzimir Makei, who was invited to the World Congress of Belarusians.
“We, Belarusians living in 840 cities and 62 countries of the world, have signed a vote of no confidence in the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus, Chairman of the Advisory Council for Belarusians Abroad under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Vladimir Makei…”
3:36 pm Today, the Polish government allowed Belarusians with humanitarian visas with the right to work to begin employment.
3:26 pm 9 students who have taken part in protest rallies have been expelled from Brest State Technical University.
3:29 pm Yelena Gnauk, a 63-year-old Brest resident, was fined 1,080 rubles ($419) for participating in a rally on 25 October. However, after the trial she was immediately approached by police and not released. They are intending to take her to the Leninsky district police as a suspect in a criminal case.
3:33 pm The fact that Lukashenka took responsibility for dispersing the march on Orlovskaya Street and the “opening” of an apartment is very significant, writes Valery Karbalevich.
“This destroys the illusions that some Belarusians and foreign observers still had, that the atrocities committed are simply isolated cases of misuse of powers”.
3:34 pm Karaev: We will neutralize these “New York street gangs”, those who want to “raise hell” in the streets.
The head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Belarus, Yuri Karaev, spoke about his determination to fight the protesters, using both lethal and non-lethal weapons, especially those who intend to “raise hell”.
In his video message, he explicitly calls on ordinary police officers to use weapons against the protesters instead of engaging in dialogue with them and to be “as cruel and harsh as the riot police.”
3:35 pm At the Belarusian State University of Culture and Arts, 18 students found out that their campus passes were blocked. The management confirmed that the students were being expelled. Before this, they were in good standing with the university.
3:37 pm The head of “Yeltsin Center” online projects department, who was detained in Belarus, has been released with a warning, her lawyer told RIA Novosti.
3:38 pm Repressions continue, but “Grodno Azot” is not giving up!
Today, it was reported that the management dismissed 14 employees who openly expressed their political opinions. Despite this, more and more workers are joining the strike.
Also, the strikers were supported by the hacker group Cyber Partisans – the company’s websites https://www.azot.by/ and http://grodno-khim.by/, in their words, “joined the strike”.
3:43 pm “Get out of here, get out!”
A Belarusian State University of Informatics and Radioelectronics tried to chase students away from a protest rally, using obscene language in the process.
3:44 pm Doctors are ready to sacrifice part of their salaries for the sake of strikers in Belarus.
Belarusian doctors and their foreign colleagues announced the launch of an initiative that will help support the striking workers.
3:51 pm Nine students of the Brest State Technical University are being expelled. A week ago, Lukashenka appointed a new rector there. A “Nasha Niva” reader leaked the document confirming the information.
3:58 pm Expulsions are also underway at the Yanka Kupala State University of Hrodna.
Yesterday, Margarita Shisha was secretly exprelled, but she only received the official confirmation today. Another young woman was expelled as well.
4:06 pm Belarusian State University of Informatics and Radioelectronics students have formed a solidarity chain at the entrance to building 4. They are applauding and chanting “We believe! We can! We will win!”
4:08 pm The Ministry of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine is organizing a music marathon in support of Belarusians.
4:17 pm Expulsions are underway at the Belarusian State Medical University. According to reports, 10 students from the medical department and 2 from the pediatric department have been expelled so far.
4:18 pm “I worked here for 13 years, then I expressed my opinion – and was thrown out over the fence”
Three workers of the Minsk Wheeled Tractor Plant – Dmitry Kananko, Alexander Lavrinovich and Viktor Tchaikovsky – were dismissed for participating in the strike.
4:19 pm Belarusian State University of Culture and Arts are holding an impromptu rally in support of their expelled classmates.
4:22 pm The Prosecutor General’s Office building is cordoned off, experts are onsite, and broken bottles have been noticed on the ground nearby.
The Prosecutor General’s Office issued the following comment:
Today at 13:49, possibly illegal actions of some passers-by were recorded near the building of the Prosecutor General’s Office. The circumstances of the incident are being investigated by the relevant authorities.
This event has nothing to do with the work of the Prosecutor General’s Office.
4:23 pm Pavel Latushko published information about the People’s Anti-Crisis Directorate – a new organization that will coexist with the Coordination Council.
4:24 pm Some Minsk State Linguistic University teachers have joined the strike. The exact number is unknown.
4:44 pm Belsat has received information that strikers are being fired from the Minsk Wheeled Tractor Plant.
Dismissals of those who supported the strike are also expected.
5:00 pm In Zhlobin, a man will be tried for desecration of the national flag.
“He attempted to burn it, albeit unsuccessfully”.
5:06 pm So far, 15 expulsions have been reported at the Belarusian State Medical University.
5:11 pm Mike Pompeo, the US Secretary of State, has announced that political strategist Vitaly Shklyarov is in the US.
Source: day.gudkov.ru via TUT.BY
At this moment, Mr. Shklyarov is in a hospital.
5:13 pm Yelena Bokhan, academic director at the Academy of Arts, has refused to sign the enrollment termination order for three students. Unfortunately, they will probably still be expelled.
According to Ms. Bokhan, a number of such documents have been circulating, and she refused to sign another one today. When asked if the students will be expelled without her signature, she replied that “since the order has been signed [by other people], yes.”
5:14 pm After a solidarity rally at the Opera theater, all the performances were cancelled. The official reason for this is the coronavirus pandemic.
All the performances scheduled between 29 October and 20 November have been cancelled.
5:19 pm 12 “Grodno Azot” employees were dismissed on the orders of the director general.
12 “Grodno Azot” employees who publicly announced their participation in the strike were dismissed. The order was signed by the director general, Igor Bobyr.
5:29 pm Dismissals of strikers are underway at the Minsk Kozlov Electrotechnical Plant.
This morning, welder Alexander Shimanovich submitted an application to the management to join the nationwide strike, and in the afternoon he received a text message about his dismissal and the final transfer of wages to his account.
According to sources, up to 70% of the factory workers supported the strike in various forms.
5:34 pm An attention-grabbing group of women with red and white umbrellas has been noticed in the Komarovka district of Minsk, @nashaniva reports.
5:50 pm The employees at the Pushkinsky office building have been holding rallies every single day.
