UN Human Rights Committee accepts complaint against ban on rally in support of Ales Bialiatski

On 18 February, Yury Varonezhtsau, a resident of Homel who sent a complaint to the UN Human Rights Committee, received a message from Geneva saying that his communication had been accepted by the Committee for consideration. The United Nations Human Rights Committee says it has registered the complaint authored together with human rights defenders Anatol Paplauny and Leanid Sudalenka. The complaint dealt with a ban on a street rally in support of political prisoner Ales Bialiatski expected to be held in Homel on 4 August 2013.

Yury Varonezhtsau asked the Committee to establish a violation of the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and freedom of expression and recommend the Belarusian government to bring the law “On Mass Events” and the decision of local authorities on the order of events in line with the country’s international obligations.

According to the procedure, after the registration of the complaint it should be sent to the government, which is expected to give its comments within six months. The complainant can comment on the comments of the government, then the complaint is awaiting its turn to be considered, which may take up to three years.

Earlier, the Human Rights Committee registered a complaint of the former mayor of Homel Sviatlana Haldade, which challenged together with the human rights a ban on a peaceful assembly in support of Ales Bialiatski scheduled for 4 August 2012. The UN Human Rights Committee is also to consider a complaint by human rights defenders Anatol Paplauny and Leanid Sudalenka against a ban on a rally in support of Ales Bialiatski that was expected to mark one year after his arrest on 4 August 2011.

Source: gomelspring.org