Biaroza authorities ban 8 September picket

Biaroza human rights defenders and social activists were denied a picket on September 8. The stated purpose of the event was commemoration of the 500th anniversary of the Battle of Orsha – Day of military glory, as well as an expression of protest against the deployment of Russian military bases on the territory of Belarus and the presence of political prisoners.

The ban was signed by the Deputy Chairman of the Biaroza District Executive Committee Yauhen Tarasiuk, the order for the ban – by Chairman, Yury Narkevich.

One of the reasons for the picket ban was that the applicants mistakenly attached to a copy of the contract with the public utilities for a picket with a different date, August 25. Despite the fact that the error was corrected by the applicants, the executive committee picked at it. Another reason was the lack of service agreement with the police, although the district executive committee has been instructed by the Brest Regional Executive Committee to amend its ruling "On the order of holding mass events", according to the Decision of the Council of Ministers № 207, according to which
police should be ordered to guard mass events by the executive committee, not by the organizers.

Recently, the executive committee banned pickets on July 27 and August 25. All in all, Biaroza activists haven't received permissions to hold any mass events for 15 years already.