Watchdog

MINSK -- The Minsk Economic Court has ordered the closure of the rights organization Platforma.

The court ruled that the organization failed to turn in tax declarations on time and was not located at the address given in Platforma's registration forms.

The head of the organization, Andrey Bandarenka, said the decision makes no sense because the organization had already paid a fine for not submitting tax declarations on time and is not involved in commercial activities.

Bandarenka said Platforma would appeal the court decision.

Platforma monitors the conditions and rights of inmates in Belarusian prisons.

Platforma was created in 2011 after Bandarenka was released from prison, where he had served almost two years for economic crimes.

With reporting by Interfax

BRUSSELS -- The European Parliament has shortlisted imprisoned Belarusian activist Ales Byalyatski, Russian feminist punk group Pussy Riot, and Iranians Nasrin Sotoudeh and Jafar Panahi for the Sakharov Prize.

The annual prize, named after Soviet dissident Andrei Sakharov, honors people and organizations that have fought for human rights and freedom of thought.

Imprisoned Iranian lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh and filmmaker Jafar Panahi remain favorites to receive the award, as they enjoy wide support across the political spectrum in the European Parliament.

Byalyatski is the founder of Belarus's Vyasna human rights center.

Pussy Riot, three members of which are serving two-year sentences for staging an anti-Kremlin performance in a Moscow cathedral, is the third candidate.

The winner of the 50,000-euro prize will be announced on October 26.

*CORRECTION: Sotoudeh is facing six years in prison, not the death penalty, as originally stated.