Salihorsk authorities ban picket to campaign for new clinic

Mikalai Maskevich, chief ideology official of Salihorsk district executive committee, issued a ban on a rally in support of the construction of a new municipal polyclinic, thus dismissing an application of February 8 submitted by local civil society activists.

The picket was aimed at campaigning for the construction of a new modern polyclinic and was expected to be held on March 2 in the city center outside “Salihorsk” department store. The event was applied by member of the United Civil Party, Viktar Malochka.

The statement lodged with the authorities noted that campaigning on the location was authorized during the 2012 parliamentary elections and the 2010 presidential election. However, the argument did not convince the deputy chairman of the executive committee. Mr. Maskevich banned the picket due to the fact that the scheduled place of the event was not mentioned in a decision by Salihorsk district executive committee “On measures to prevent accidents and maintain the rule of law during public events.”

According to the applicants of the picket, they are not going to appeal the ban.