Biaroza authorities ban picket of solidarity with political prisoners

Biaroza District Executive Committee dismissed the appeal of the local human rights activists for holding a picket of solidarity with political prisoners on August 4, the International Day of Solidarity with Belarusian Civil Society.

The refusal, signed by the deputy chairman of the executive committee Yauhen Tarasiuk points that in accordance with the Law of the Republic of Belarus of January 4, 2007 "On Countering Extremism" public authorities are obliged to take measures aimed at identifying and eliminating the causes and conditions conducive to extremist activities. Since Ihar Alinevich, Mikalai Dziadok, Artsiom Prakapenka, Yury Rubtsou and Yauhen Vas'kovich have been convicted on general articles of the Criminal Code, expression of solidarity with them by means of a mass event is the propaganda of extremist activity, that' s why the mass event is banned.

Let us remind that it is not the first attempt of Biaroza human rights activists to hold a mass event dedicated to this issue with the aim to draw the public attention to the existence of political prisoners in Belarus. They have been appealing for holding pickets on August 4 for four years in a row already. This date is special, since their colleague, Ales Bialiatski, head of the Human Rights Center “Viasna:” was arrested on far-fetched charges on August 4, 2011. Despite the early release of Mr. Bialiatski from jail, Biaroza activists aren't going to refuse from the attempts to hold such events as long as Belarus continues holding political prisoners.