Authorities in Minsk have banned two gay-rights events, but Belarusian activists have vowed to go ahead anyway.
Amnesty International has singled out Belarusian gay-rights activist Ihar Tsikhanyuk, who was seized in hospital and beaten up by police earlier this year, for its annual international letter-writing event Write for Rights. And as the world marks Human Rights Day on December 10, campaigners condemn what they describe as the ruthless repression of gays and lesbians in Belarus.
Vladislav Baumgertner, the CEO of Russian potash producer Uralkali, has been put under house arrest in Moscow.
In a new report, the International Federation for Human Rights and the Belarusian human rights center Vyasna say forced labor and violations of workers' rights are widespread in Belarus.
A Belarusian State Security Committee spokesman told RFE/RL on December 4 that Uladzislau Lazar has been released on condition that he not leave Minsk while investigations are continuing.
Transparency International is warning that the abuse of power, secret dealings, and bribery within the public sector continue to "ravage" countries around the world, including in the former Soviet Commonwealth of Independent States.
EU Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fuele told a civil society conference in Vilnius on November 28 that Kyiv was missing a "unique opportunity to reverse a discouraging trend of decreasing foreign direct investment in Ukraine and to give momentum to negotiations with the IMF on a new stand-by arrangement."
Belarus is a member of the European Union's Eastern Partnership initiative, but there's currently no chance of an EU Association Agreement because of Minsk's membership in the Russia-led Customs Union. We asked residents of Minsk whether they support closer integration with the EU.
EU and Eastern Partnership officials have been busy reworking a draft final declaration for this week's summit in Vilnius.
Gunmen on a motorbike have opened fire on two military advisers from Belarus, killing one of them and severely wounding another.
Vladislav Baumgertner, the head of the Russian potash firm Uralkali, has been charged with abuse of office following his extradition to Russia from Belarus.
Belarusian television reports that chief executive of Russian potash producer Uralkali Vladislav Baumgertner has been extradited to Russia.
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