Local elections held 14 January; opposition under intense pressure from authorities: leader Alyaksandr Milinkevich detained twice, at least 30 activists arrested, and only 200 opposition candidates registered. Decision to expel Belarusian Helsinki Committee from state-owned offices reversed, apparently under EU and U.S. pressure. Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly President Rene van der Linden called for political prisoner releases and dialogue during 3-day visit. Minsk signed defence cooperation memorandum with Iran 22 January. Relations with Russia cooled after first gas then oil supplies subject of dispute between Minsk and Moscow: Druzhba pipeline briefly shut down 8-10 January.

Jailed opposition leader Alexander Kazulin ended 54-day hunger-strike 12 December. Around 20 pro-Kazulin demonstrators detained; Russia blocked U.S. proposal to discuss hunger-strike in UN Security Council. Parliament passed bill for prevention and combat of extremism; KGB said necessary ahead of “events” planned by opposition. U.S. Congress passed law for stronger sanctions and aid for opposition. EU said suspending preferential trade tariffs if no improvement in labour rights.

Youth opposition activist Zmitser Dashkevich given 1.5-year prison sentence for participation in unregistered group 1 November; EU condemned decision. Germany called for immediate release of opposition leader Alexander Kazulin amid reports of serious decline in his health; Kazulin is on hunger strike. EU repeated its offer to Minsk of EU Neighbourhood Policy participation, conditional on democratic reform. Lukashenka asserted he had won 93.5% of vote in March presidential elections but official figures of 83% had been released to make results more believable to West.

President Lukashenko set regional and local legislative elections for 14 January; opposition leader Alexander Milinkevich said opposition would contest elections despite tougher campaign rules. EU parliament awarded Milinkevich annual Sakharov rights prize. EU extended travel ban on 31 officials to include 4 judges and prosecutors involved in recent trial of leading opposition activist Alyaksandr Kazulin; latter serving 5-year sentence, hospitalised 31 October.

Thousands rallied in Minsk, demanding release of opposition presidential candidate Alexander Kozulin, election observers and opposition activists jailed after protesting rigged March election. Minsk court rejected appeal to Kazulin’s 5½- year prison sentence. EU to consider extension of visa ban to officials involved in trial; EU member states rejected sanctions to expel Belarus from preferential trade system within 6 months if government does not guarantee freedom of speech and assembly. Special rapporteur Severin recommended UN probe into rights abuses in report to UN Human Rights Council.

OSCE and EU condemned sentencing of 4 election monitors to between 6 months and 2 years in prison for “infringing on rights and interests” of citizens. 2 released after serving 6-month pre-trial detention. Diplomatic row erupted with Latvia after Minsk accused embassy official of involvement in pornography. Poland called for release of 3 ethnic Pole activists detained ahead of Union of Poles in Belarus meeting 18 August.

Regional court sentenced opposition leader Alexander Kozulin to 5½ years for organising unauthorised rally. EU, U.S., OSCE criticised decision. 40 people detained after protest outside Russian embassy against Russian support of President Lukashenko.

Government announced ban on officials from EU, U.S. and other countries that imposed visa ban on senior Belarus officials in May. U.S. extended sanctions on President Lukashenko and 9 officials, freezing U.S.-based assets and banning business links. Russia and Belarus held largest ever joint military exercise 17-25 June. At least 30 opposition protestors detained outside Russian embassy 16 June.

EU froze assets of President Lukashenko and 35 officials, supplementing April travel ban, while U.S. also imposed travel ban. Friction between government and opposition continued. May Day demonstrators protested against April imprisonment of opposition leader Milinkevich who was released after 15-day sentence. Authorities temporarily detained opposition leader Lyabedzka prior to another rally 10 May. Businessman Levaneuski released after 2-year jail term for alleging government corruption.

EU imposed visa ban on President Lukashenko and 29 senior officials held responsible for electoral misconduct and post-election violent crackdown on opposition. Parliament re-elected Lukashenko-backed PM Syarhey Sidorski 17 April. 7,000 opposition supporters marked Chernobyl disaster anniversary with protest against president. Opposition leaders, including Alexandr Milinkevich, given 15-day sentences after rally, while Alexander Lebedko reportedly detained and beaten by police. Russian gas giant Gazprom threatened to triple prices unless Belarus allows transfer of Beltransgaz distribution company to Gazprom. Senior opposition figure Mikhail Marynich, jailed in 2004, released early.