A flashmob and street theater was arranged by Östgruppen, Swedish International Liberal Centre and the office of the Polish member of European Parliament, Marek Migalski, in the central of Stockholm on saturday. The activists where dressed as dictator Lukashenko, playing against oppositional activists with their hands bound to their backs. On the ”ice” was also a judge with a Belarusian military hat and baton, who made sure Lukashenka got his goals. The street theatre was supposed to symbolize the oppression in Belarus and the fact that even ice hockey is politics to Lukashenka.

Early this morning the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) met at Clarion hotel in Stockholm for a conference. Östgruppen – Swedish Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights arranged an action and welcomed the delegates with leaflets, saying ”See you in Minsk 2014!” At first sight, the leaflets looked like official material from the hockey federation. Looking closer inside, the delegates could see information about the political prisoners in Belarus and about the people in charge of the hockey world championship in Belarus next year – all blacklisted by the EU for their crimes against human rights (banned from traveling to the EU).

Valjantsina Alinevitj och Maryna Lobava kommer till Sverige för att tala om sina söner som hör till de internationellt erkända politiska fångarna i Belarus. De kommer att ge oss en inblick i rättsprocesserna och beskriva förhållandena på de anstalter där de sitter fängslade, utifrån den insyn de har som mammor. Men lika mycket är det deras egna berättelser vi kommer att få ta del av. Vad oroar dem mest? Och vad gör man när regimen fängslar ens egna barn? Välkommen på ett seminarium som berör det mest brännande problemet i Belarus idag – de politiska fångarna.

För att uppmärksamma situationen i Belarus arrangerar Östgruppen för andra året i följd ”Belarusdagarna”. De har bjudit in flera av landets främsta journalister och människorättsförsvarare för att hjälpa oss att bättre förstå deras verklighet. Vilken betydelse har omvärldens agerande och vad kan vi i Sverige egentligen göra? Under tre intensiva dagar diskuteras mänskliga fri- och rättigheter i Belarus, innanför och utanför fängelsemurarna.

Don´t miss out on the opportunity to see this unique and long awaited feature movie – Viva Belarus! in Stockholm @ Bio Rio, 20/3. FRANAK VYACHORKA (Script) and LAVON VOLSKI (Music), will be there to talk about the film and the reality behind it.

För mer information se www.ostgruppen.se!

Today an international solidarity action for Belarus was held all over Europe, organized by Young European Federalists. In Stockholm the action against death penalty and for freedom in Belarus, was organized by Info Belarus and the Swedish Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights (Östgruppen).

Solidarity action in Stockholm for freedom of speech in Belarus Young European Federalists today organize the international campaign Free Belarus. Info Belarus together with Swedish Initiative For Democracy and Human Rights (Östgruppen) invite press and activists to attend the flash mob in Stockholm. “We will meet at Norrmalmstorg, at 3 pm to jointly walk through town and put gags on Stockholm’s [...]

A solidarity action was held in Stockholm on wednesday the 10th of August to show solidarity for the recently arrested belarusian human rights activist Ales Byalyatski, and for the belarusian people (Revolution Through Social Networks).                                 Photos and video: Free for publishing

At wednesday, protests continued in Belarus. Once again, people were beaten and arrested. It has also been reported that one man got an epileptic seizure while being detained. At the same time in Stockholm, Sweden, a solidarity action in support of the people in Belarus and the revolution through social network was held.