Last Updated: Friday, 25 May 2012, 13:06 GMT

Title	Belarus: A youth organization called "Molodaya Gramoda"; whether it was active in 1999; whether it was one of the groups which demanded elections in 1999; membership cards and process; main activities; government response to the group; current status; recent attacks against its members
Publisher	Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada
Country	Belarus
Publication Date	16 May 2002
Citation / Document Symbol	BYS38968.E
Reference	2
Cite as	Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Belarus: A youth organization called "Molodaya Gramoda"; whether it was active in 1999; whether it was one of the groups which demanded elections in 1999; membership cards and process; main activities; government response to the group; current status; recent attacks against its members, 16 May 2002, BYS38968.E, available at: http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/docid/3df4be18c.html [accessed 26 May 2012]
Disclaimer	This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Belarus: A youth organization called "Molodaya Gramoda"; whether it was active in 1999; whether it was one of the groups which demanded elections in 1999; membership cards and process; main activities; government response to the group; current status; recent attacks against its members

According to the Website of Belarusian Social Democratic Youth "Maladaya Hramada," the group was officially registered with the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Belarus on 14 June 1996 (1997). The group's past activities have included international summer camps, picketing against violations of human rights, manifestations and student parliaments (ibid.). According to the Website A Belarus Miscellany, "Maladaya Hramada" is "an independent republican youth organization joining young people adherent to social-democratic principles" (26 Feb. 2001). Maladaya Hramada is affiliated with the Belarusian Social Democratic Party as its youth wing (European Forum Aug. 1999).

The Belarusian Social Democratic Party, the parent organization of "Maladaya Hramada," was part of opposition forces who attempted to force President Lukashenko to call presidential elections in early 1999 by staging unofficial elections (Belarusian.com n.d.).

In October 2000, "Maladaya Hramada" formed a coalition with other youth groups to demand democratic changes from the government (RFE/RL 2 Nov. 2000).

In April 2001, members of "Maladaja Gramada" were arrested during a demonstration in Grodna; Valiantsin Askirka and Sviatlana Neh, head and deputy head of "Maladaya Hramata" respectively were among those arrested (International League for Human Rights Apr. 2001).

In June 2001, Radio Racyja reported mass arrests of youth during a picket organized by youth branches of several parties, including "Maladaya Hramada" (6 June 2001). Among those arrested was Svyatlana Nekh (ibid.). On 25 March 2002, Radio Racyja reported that "over 60 people were beaten and arrested by police for taking part in a peaceful rally marking the anniversary of setting up the Belarusian Popular Republic (Day of Freedom)". Demonstrators displayed several flags, including the flag of "Maladaya Hramada" (ibid.).

No information on membership cards or criteria could be found among sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

A Belarus Miscellany. 26 February 2001. "Clubs and Youth Organizations." <http://www.belarus-misc.org/bel-ink.htm> For information on this site, please consult BYS36294.E of 13 March 2001. [Accessed 30 Apr. 2002]

Belarusian Social Democratic Youth "Maladaya Hramada". 1997. <http://www.belarus.net/mal_hramada/> [Accessed 30 Apr. 2002]

Belarusian.com. n.d. "Chronology: Belarus Government vs. the Opposition, January-March 1999." <http://www.belarusian.com/chronology/opposition1q99.html> [Accessed 30 Apr. 2002]

European Forum. August 1999. "The Political Landscape in Belarus." <http://www.europeanforum.bot-consult.se/cup/belarus/socdem.htm> [Accessed 30 Apr. 2002]

International League for Human Rights (ILHR). April 2001. "Belarus Update." <http://www.spring96.org/English/Archive/news_e0501.html> [Accessed 30 Apr. 2002]

Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty (RFE/RL). 2 November 2000. (Un)Civil Societies. "Belarus." Vol. 1. No. 25. <http://www.rferl.org/ucs/2000/11/25-021100.html> [Accessed 30 Apr. 2002]

Radio Racyja. 25 March 2002. "Here Comes Freedom." <http://www.newsbelarus.com/2002/Mar/e2503so1.htm> [Accessed 30 Apr. 2002]

_____. 6 June 2001. "Goradnya Under Siege." <http://www.racyja.pl/2001/Jun/e0606ak.htm> [Accessed 30 Apr. 2002]

Additional Sources Consulted

IRB Databases

NEXIS

Internet sources including:

Amnesty International

BBC News Online

BelaPan [Minsk]

Belarusian Helsinki Committee

Belarus Today

Freedom House

Human Rights Watch

Interfax [Moscow]

International League for Human Rights

OneWorld.net

Political Resources on the Net: Belarus

World News Connection (WNC)

Copyright notice: This document is published with the permission of the copyright holder and producer Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB). The original version of this document may be found on the offical website of the IRB at http://www.irb-cisr.gc.ca/en/. Documents earlier than 2003 may be found only on Refworld.

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