Navapolatsk authorities changed their ruling on mass events to ban picket in support of Mikita Likhavid

On 18 July democratic activists, including members of the Belarusian Popular Front Party, the For Freedom movement and the Human Rights Center Viasna applied to the Navapolatsk Town Executive Committee with the request to authorize a picket in support of political prisoner Mikita Likhavid who is subject to constant pressurization in jail.

However, the authorities introduced amendments to their rulings concerning mass events four days after receiving the application. According to the answer, singed by Deputy Chair of the Navapolatsk TEC Durnou, the ground near the Palace  of Culture on 5-aya Liniya Street was excluded from the list of the places where street actions could be held by their ruling #689 of 22 July 2011 On mass events in the town of Navapolatsk.

Moreover, according to the answer the applicants didn't conclude agreements with the police, the central hospital and the public utilities for serving the action. However, according to one of the applicants, Uladzimir Kuntsevich, these agencies stated they needed to see an official permission for the action first.

Now the civil activists intend to appeal the ban of the action at court.