Democratization in Belarus Update

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"Belarus' most prominent rights group said that its leader was detained Thursday in the capital ...

Vladimir Labkovich, an activist with the Vesna rights group, said its leader Ales Belyatsky was detained by police outside his home in Minsk. Police and other officials refused to comment.

"We are extremely concerned about Belyatsky's safety and well-being," said Rachel Denber, deputy Europe and Central Asia director at Human Rights Watch. "Authorities are obviously targeting him because of his human rights work."

Vesna has been active in reporting on the police crackdown on a recent series of peaceful rallies that have reflected mounting public discontent against authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko."

Associated Press

Photo credit: Mir, Belarus, Future European Union.


بدأ بناء هذا القصر في نهاية القرن الخامس عشر على الطراز القوطي. بعد ذاك، تمّ تكبيره وإعادة تشييده لاحقاً، أولاً بحسب طراز النهضة ومن ثم بحسب الطراز الباروكي. بعد قرن من الإهمال والأضرار الكبيرة التي عاناها خلال فترة نابليون، تمّت إضافة عدد كبير من العناصر عليه وترتيب الأراضي المجاورة لتصبح منتزهاً. إن شكله الحالي شاهد على تاريخه المضطرب.

Мирский замок был возведен в самом начале XVI в. в готическом стиле. Затем он был существенно расширен и перестроен, сначала в стиле эпохи Возрождения, затем – барокко. Далее почти на протяжении столетия замок был заброшен, а во время войны 1812 г. он испытал серьезные разрушения. В конце XIX в. замок был восстановлен, в его архитектурный ансамбль были внесены новые элементы, а на прилегающей территории был разбит ландшафтный парк с водоемом. Современный облик замка – наглядное свидетельство его богатой и сложной истории.

The construction of this castle began at the end of the 15th century, in Gothic style. It was subsequently extended and reconstructed, first in the Renaissance and then in the Baroque style. After being abandoned for nearly a century and suffering severe damage during the Napoleonic period, the castle was restored at the end of the 19th century, with the addition of a number of other elements and the landscaping of the surrounding area as a park. Its present form is graphic testimony to its often turbulent history.