Orsha police refuse to guard picket in support of Ales Bialiatski

Human rights defender Vasil Berasneu and Vasil Leuchankau wanted to hold the picket on 16 September, but didn't manage to conclude an agreement with the police. According to the answer they received from the Orsha Town Police Department, all policemen would be busy that day and therefore would be unable to guard the action.

The Orsha-based human rights defenders are trying to hold a picket in support of Bialiatski for the second time already. During the first time they addressed the Orsha Town Executive committee first, but the officials pointed at the necessity to conclude agreements with the police, medics and communal utilities before applying for the authorization of the action.

This time Berasneu and Leuchankau decided to conclude the necessary agreement first. However, the police refused to guard the action. According to them, Orsha residents rest after work on Fridays. Many of them go to discos, and all policemen will patrol recreation places and would be unable to guard the picket. The picket organizers consider the refusal as unlawful and will appeal it at the Orsha Town Procuracy.

Ales Bialiatski, Chair of the Human Rights Center Viasna, is charged with “concealment of profits on an especially large scale” and faces up to 7 years of imprisonment with confiscation of assets. The criminal case against him was instigated by the Belarusian authorities after Lithuania and Poland had passed to them the details of Bialiatski's accounts.

Mr. Bialiatski knew about the criminal case and the possibility of his arrest, but refused to leave Belarus. As a result, he was arrested and has been kept in the remand prison in Valadarski Street since 4 August.