Biaroza court confirms picket ban

The court of Biaroza district considered yesterday a joint complaint by human rights defenders Siarhei Rusetski and Tamara Shchapiotkina, as well as civil society activist Tatsiana Tarasevich. They asked the court to reverse a ban imposed by the district executive committee on a demonstration of solidarity with political prisoners scheduled for August 4, as well as to recognize a violation of terms of replying (instead of July 30, as required by law, the reply was sent to the applicants on August 2).

Head of the legal department of the district executive committee Yauhen Kashtelian argued that the delay in response was due to the fact that the executive committee waited patiently for the applicants to submit their contracts.

At the same time, the police department said that they would sign a contract only after the executive committee authorized the event, saying that perhaps no contract would be needed, as the picket was expected to gather no more that 10 people. Biaroza public utilities department signed a contract, while the hospital refused to do so on the grounds that there is no such service in the decision of the Ministry of Health Care, just as there is no price list for it.

As a result, Chairman of the District Court, Vadzim Mazol, as well as an assistant prosecutor Aksana Hardzeyuk found the ban legal.