Two more pickets banned in Vitsebsk

Both bans are signed by the same person, deputy chair of Chyhunachny district administration Natallia Liapioshkina.

The picket scheduled for October 19 was expected to attract public attention to the problem of the death penalty in Belarus.

The other picket was to mark the 25th anniversary of the Belarusian Popular Front.

Both bans cite the same reason – lack of contract for maintenance of the events, as required by a decision of Vitsebsk authorities. The activists believe that it is contrary to current law, and repeatedly asked to amend the decision, as the police, medical and public utilities departments refuse to cooperate with them until they receive permission from the authorities. As a result, not a single public event has been held by the city’s pro-democratic activists since 2009. Although they tried to protect their rights in courts and in the city administration, all they heard was that the decision would not be changed because it had undergone a legal examination and was entered in the register of state acts.