The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

The Orsha human rights defenders Vasil Berasneu and Vasil Leuchankau received an answer from the Ministry of Internal Affairs to their complaint concerning the refusal of the Orsha City Police Department to conclude an agreement for serving their picket.

Orsha-based human rights defenders Vasil Berasneu and Vasil Leuchankau filed appeals with the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Vitsebsk Regional Procuracy. They state that their freedom of expression, guaranteed by Article 35 of the Constitution of the Republic of Belarus, was violated by the picket ban issued by the the Orsha City Executive Committee.

A People's Assembly was held in Orsha on 8 October. Orsha residents adopted a number of demands to the local authorities, including the improvement of the quality of drinking water in Orsha and its district.

Orsha pro-democratic activists will never be allowed holding a mass event in the town, suggests another reply by local prosecutor’s office, received by human rights defenders Vasil Leuchnakau and Vasil Berasneu.

Orsha prosecuting authorities have evaded providing legal assessment to a human rights picket banned by local executive officials; they suggested addressing the court, instead.

As it follows from the answer given to Orsha human rights defenders Vasil Berasneu and Vasil Leuchankau by Anatol Silchanka, head of the Orsha District Police Department, the situation with police personnel in Orsha is catastrophic.

On 23 September, the personal computers seized by the KGB from the Human Rights Center “Viasna” were donated to a boarding school in Orsha.