Homel human rights activists apply for picket in support of political prisoners
July 9, Homel human rights defenders Anatol Paplauny and Leanid Sudalenka applied to Homel City Executive Committee to get a permission for holding a picket on August 4. The purpose of the mass event action is to express protest against the existencce of political prisoners in Belarus, express support tothem and demand their immediate release.
The applicants intend to hold the event near the tank on Paustannia Square in Homel. August 4 is the Day of Solidarity with Belarusian civil society – on this day in 2011, the leader of the HRC "Viasna" Ales Bialiatski was arrested. In 2011, 2012 and 2013 Homel human rights and opposition activists applied for the authorization of pickets in support of Ales Bialiatski, but received denials. The applicants complained about this to the UN Committee on Human Rights, which considers their appeals.
"We ask you to order the appropriate services executive committee to ensure public order and safety, the organization of medical care at the mass event and clean-up after the event, and to determine the order of payment of costs for these services," notes the bid of the organizers of the rally. They also attached to the documents a written undertaking to pay the costs for medical care and cleaning of the territory within ten days after the event. We should remind, that according to a decision of Homel City Executive Committee, organizers of mass events need to pay for these servies.
Earlier, Homel human rights defenders and representatives of democratic organizations applied for holding a series of pickets in the Homel region on the Day of Declaration of Sovereignty of Belarus, July 27.
All in all, applications for 41 such pickets were filed in such towns of the Homel region as Khoiniki, Brahin, Rahachou and Kastrychnitski. The aim of the events is to draw the public attention to the value of independence and sovereignty of the state and express solidarity with the Ukrainian people in their effort to preserve the integrity and independence of Ukraine.
It should also be noted that this day the democratic community of Mahiliou marks the tenth anniversary of the total prohibition of pickets and rallies – not a single street action has been permitted by the authorities since 2004.
