Vitsebsk: Leanid Svetsik appeals against picket ban
The Chyhunachny District Executive Committee of Vitsebsk
didn't permit human rights defender Leanid Svetsik to hold a picket on 22
August. During this action Mr. Svetsik wanted to inform the population about
the situation of human rights in the country, including the arrest of Ales
Bialiatski.
The action was banned though Leanid Svetsik implemented all formalities and
wanted to hold it in one of the officially permitted places. However, the
authorities answered that he needed to conclude service agreements with the
police, the medics and the public utilities before applying for permission. The
answer contained a refernce to the notorious Ruling #881, issued by the
Vitsebsk City Executive Committee on 10 July 2009, which is regularly used as
the formal guard to ban street actions.
Leanid Svetsik is convinced that this refusal violates his rights which are
guaranteed by the Constitution and international agreements signed by Belarus.
"I think that by this decision the Chyhunachny District Executive
Committee of Vitsebsk... violated my civil and political rights, namely:
freedom of expression, guaranteed by Article 33 of the Constitution of the
Republic of Belarus, and freedom of peaceful assemblies, provided by Article 35
of the Constitution," reads the appeal.