Vitsebsk authorities ban another 19 December action

Activist of the “European Belarus” Uladzislau Varanetski applied to the Chyhunachny District Executive Committee of Minsk for authorization of the picket which he intended to hold in the Culture and Recreation Park of Railway Workers on 19 December. By this action he wanted to draw public attention to the problem of political prisoners, including the situation of Andrei Sannikau, who is serving his prison term in “Vitsba-3” colony and who is denied meetings with his counsel.

Predictably enough, his application was turned down for formal reasons: he hadn't concluded service agreements with police, medics and public utilities. Earlier similar refusals were received by the head of the Vitsebsk regional branch of the movement “For Freedom” Khrystafor Zhaliapau, Mikalai Statkevich's electioneering agent Aliaksei Haurutsikau and a member of the Conservative-Christian Party Belarusian Popular Front Yan Dziarzhautsau, who intended to hold a rally in Lenin Street and a procession towards Svaboda Square in order to express solidarity with political prisoners.