50 pickets banned in Vitsebsk since 2011

Aliaksei Haurutsikau and Khrystafor Zhaliapau received another ban on a picket from Vitsebsk’s Pershamaiski district administration. The picket of solidarity with political prisoners was scheduled for October 29.

Khrystafor Zhaliapau, coordinator of the Movement "For Freedom" of Vitsebsk region, and Aliaksei Haurutsikau, activist of the organizing committee of the Social Democratic Party "Narodnaya Hramada", prepared an application so that the district authorities had fewer reasons to ban the picket.

"This time the doctors denied us again. But without specifying any reason at all – they just wrote that it was impossible to conclude an agreement with, and that's all! The police did not reply to our request. At least, we have received the letter banning the event from the district administration,” says Aliaksei Haurutsikau.

"In 2011, we filed applications every month. Last year, a little less. This year – again on a monthly basis. Besides us, applications are actively submitted by members of the Conservative Christian Party of the Belarusian Popular Front and human rights defenders. In other words, at least 50 applications were filed. But - without success. Because, no one can implement the decision of the executive committee: responsible agencies, the police, public utilities and healthcare services, refuse to cooperate with us, citing different reasons. And even without any explanation, like this time when we were forbidden to hold a picket of solidarity with political prisoners,” says the activist.