Homel activist appeals picket ban to UN Human Rights Committee
Yury Varonezhtsau
Yury Varonezhtsau, a known public and political figure in Homel, submitted today a complaint to the UN Human Rights Committee to appeal against a ban on a street procession in support of political prisoner Ales Bialiatski.
The procession was expected to show solidarity with the imprisoned Viasna, ending outside the Frantsysk Skaryna University, where Ales Bialiatski spent his student years. Local human rights activists Leanid Sudalenka and Anatol Paplauny were going to join the event.
Having exhausted all domestic remedies he asked the Committee to establish a violation on the part of the state of his and the human rights defenders’ rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and freedom of expression, and to recommend the Belarusian government to bring the law “On Mass Events” and the decision of the local authorities on how to conduct mass activities in accordance with the country’s international obligations.
The UN Human Rights Committee earlier registered another complaint by Leanid Sudalenka and Anatol Paplauny against a ban on a picket, which was planned to take place in August 2011 to draw attention to the arrest of Ales Bialiatski. In addition, the Committee has registered a complaint of ex-mayor of Homel Sviatlana Haldade against a ban on a number of pickets scheduled to mark the anniversary of Bialiatski’s detention, August 4, 2012.
