Navapolatsk authorities use all means to ban pickets

The pro-democratic activists of the town of Navapolatsk have for three times now applied for staging a picket of solidarity with political prisoners, as well as against the impoverishment of the Belarusian population under current economic policies. Their bids were rejected three times, including due to lack of contract for police maintenance of the events...

While preparing another application, the activists decided to meet all the requirements by the town authorities. However, they did not manage to sign contracts with local police and medical departments.
The application was decided to be submitted on January 19. The policemen received an agreement proposal on January 5, saying that could submit an application in any form.

Four days later, the applicants visited the town police department to ask about the results. However, it turned out that their application had not been addressed at all. Head of the police department, Mr. Raziankou, said that it was "lacking in form" and shall not be subject to consideration. Moreover, the police officer refused to explain how to fill an application and an agreement for the police maintenance of the picket properly, which was later reported by the applicants to the local independent website www.freeregion.info.

The form of the agreement did not satisfy the medical service, either. Moreover, representatives of the town hospital drafted the agreement themselves, but canceled it a few days later.

It seems that the opposition pickets in Navapolatsk will be banned at any cost, say the activists. They believe that they have a good reason for such conclusions.