Belarus Apartment
Belarus
In May and June, police broke up three prayer gatherings of the unregistered Hindu religious group "Light of Kaylasa" that were taking place in private apartments. In one incident, police forced the group's members to lie on the floor as they conducted a search of the apartment, which resulted in heavy damage. ... There were a number of acts of vandalism against religious groups during the year. In February, unknown vandals spray-painted anti-Muslim graffiti in downtown Minsk. In May and June, unknown assailants vandalized both Jewish and non-Jewish gravesites at three Gomel cemeteries. On August 25, unknown individuals broke into a private apartment and vandalized religious paraphernalia that belonged to the "Light of Kaylasa" which was using the apartment for religious services. On August 27, unknown vandals threw a Molotov cocktail on the front entrance of a Minsk synagogue. The attack resulted in minor damage to the entrance and no injuries. Throughout the year, unknown assailants also vandalized Holocaust memorials throughout the country, including the Yama Holocaust memorial in Minsk on May 26 and a new Holocaust memorial in Lida on October 13. ... [Read More]
Belarus
During the year, the Ministry of Justice challenged the registration of several opposition parties over their legal addresses. According to the law, all public organizations must register with the Government. These organizations were unable to obtain space in office buildings since many locations were either owned by the Government or were too expensive. Instead, they must operate out of private apartments that the Government did not consider legal addresses. ... [Read More]
US Department Of State Post Report
The apartments are quite comfortable, although some are considered small by U.S. standards. Each has, at the very least, a kitchen, living room, dining area, 23 bedrooms, and 12 bathrooms. Most provide offstreet parking. Jacuzzi tubs are one of the latest features in the new and/or renovated apartments, as are guarded entries and underground parking. ... Generally apartments and offices are sufficiently warm. However, the city authorities turn off the heating supply from late spring until fall. If cold weather sets in during that time frame, apartment interiors can become cold and a supply of warm indoor winter clothing is recommended. This should include fleece-lined items, wool sweaters, thermal or silk underwear (both heavy and lightweight), warm socks/sock liners, lined wool pants, etc. (Note: Embassy buildings are not dependent on city heat.) Winter outdoor wear should include warm hats, scarves, gloves, wool socks, insulated waterproof boots with good tread, and a long heavy coat. (The larger markets have a wide selection of winter coats for men and women that are appropriate for the weather of Eastern Europe, of good quality and reasonably priced.) ... [Read More]
USIS Washington File: TRANSCRIPT: STATE DEPARTMENT NOON BRIEFING, JUNE 22 -- CORRECTED
Now, in this case of the embassy residence here, it's an apartment; so it's a slightly different case. But we believe that in light of a violation of international law this flagrant and this unprecedented, the responses we're considering would be, pursuant to international customary law, direct and proportionate responses. What those will precisely be in addition to this, we're considering. But clearly, Belarus is a country we have unfortunately had significant concerns about much of their behavior in many areas. We have expressed those concerns in the past, and all that's happened now with this unprecedented - and frankly, when Ambassador Sestanovich asked his staff, what is the normal response to something like this, they couldn't find an example from which to give the answer of what is a normal precedent. This is unprecedently, uncivilized behavior for a member of the international community. ... [Read More]
Europe and Eurasia
With U.S. help, more than 13,000 people participated in 240 town hall meetings to discuss citizen concerns with community leaders. In more than 660 dialogue groups held around the country, citizens discussed the law on the legal status of property, community schools, privatization, community development and apartment building administration, among other issues. The impact of these programs was reflected in the concrete actions taken by initiative groups that formed as a result of the dialogues. Successful efforts included renovation of a local state college and establishment of a library fund for the college, legalization of supplementary constructions by building residents and improvements in the sanitary situation in communities. Through these programs, citizens created tangible improvements in their communities by engaging in democratic processes at the local level. ... [Read More]
US Department Of State Post Report
Virtually all housing in Kiev is apartments. The Mission acquires the best properties available. Although kitchens and bathrooms are modern, most apartments are not comparable to those in the U.S. in terms of space, storage areas, and layout. Closets are rare and kitchen cabinets are few. Bathrooms may be large, but have no cabinetry. In securing new leases, post requires the landlords to install a wardrobe in every bedroom. Apartment lobbies, elevators, and hallways and sometimes the exterior of the buildings are often dingy and dirty, but are improving. [Read More]
William Siemering, David Simonson, Rachel Thompson, "Anarchy Is Not a Business Plan: Practical Pointers on the Business of Media" Global Issues, February 2003
Going to another station up north in Darkhan, Mongolia, that operates on $1,000 a year, they do a lot with bartering. Theyre located in one of the old Soviet-era, high-rise apartment buildings. Theyve bartered for their electricity, their telephone. They have an agreement with the hospital to provide health care for the employees. I talked to them about corporate underwriting like we have in public radio in the United States and they said, We have that with the tenants association in the apartment block. And I asked, So what does the tenants association get? They said, We broadcast the names of the tenants who havent paid their rent. ... [Read More]
State Department Terrorism Report: Europe, Eurasia Overview - US Department of State
On the morning of March 11, 2004, terrorists detonated bombs on commuter trains, including five near Atocha, the city’s biggest train station. Police discovered that extremists associated with the Moroccan Islamic Combatant Group (GICM), most of them North African residents of Spain, had carried out the attacks. On April 2, authorities located an explosive device under the high-speed railway connecting Madrid and Seville that failed to detonate. On April 3, seven suspects sought by police in connection with the March 11 bombings detonated explosives in an apartment in a Madrid suburb in order to avoid arrest. All seven suspects and one police officer were killed in the explosion. Authorities are holding approximately two dozen individuals in connection with the March 11 bombings. Those charged in the case are pending trial on charges of murder and belonging to a terrorist organization. ... [Read More]
2004 Country Report on Human Rights Practices in Belarus
The law requires a warrant for searches; however, the Government in some cases performed searches without a warrant. For example, on June 30, police officers entered Yevgeniy Afnagel's apartment without presenting a warrant, then arrested Afnagel for attempting to refuse entry to the officers. There was credible evidence that prosecutors charged and courts convicted, individuals on false charges. There was also credible evidence that authorities filed economic charges against individuals in order to receive monetary payments, in at least one case extrajudicially. ... [Read More]
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