Zhodzina pro-dem activists fighting for right to hold pickets

On 27 August, Zhodzina Town Court considered a complaint lodged by local pro-democratic activists Aliaksei and Sviatlana Lapitskis against a ban imposed on holding a picket “Freedom for Ales Bialiatski!”

“Three and a half hours was not enough to prove that the town executive committee has violated the Constitution and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights – the rights to peaceful assembly and expression,” says Aliaksei Lapitski.

During the court hearing, representative of the town’s housing department Vadzim Zayats refused to provide documents regulating the procedure for covering police, medical and housing expenses by organizers of pickets. He said the papers are for internal use only. Meanwhile, it is the restrictions concerning the payment of police, medical and housing services that have become the key obstacle to holding mass events across the country.

The hearing is expected to be resumed on 29 August.