Head of the Mahiliou Region UCP branch appeals picket ban
Uladzimir Shantsau, head of the Mahiliou regional organization of the United Civil Party
On 7 February Uladzimir Shantsau filed
an appropriate appeal with the Mahiliou Region Court.
"
I want the Constitution to start being effective in our country. As
it is written there, the source of all authority is the people. Being
a representative of the people, I possess the full rights to hold
pickets in the center of the city," says the leader of the
Mahiliou region branch of the United Civil Party.
"Moreover,
according to the Constitution I have the right to hold mass events on
par with state officials. However, when they hold such events they
don't pay anything for them and hold them in the center of the city,
whereas representatives of oppositional parties and organizations are
forced to hold their events on the outskirts and pay for them,"
resents the politician.
According to Mr. Shantsau, the
Leninski District Court of Mahiliou ignored his arguments and issued
an unlawful verdict, which he decided to appeal in a higher
court.
"I asked the judge of the district court why I am
forced to pay money for holding a picket and the authorities don't
have to pay anything for it. She answered that it had nothing to do
with the case. I don't agree with it, as it concerns the interests of
common people," says Mr. Shantsau.
"At the trial the
officer of the ideological department of the Mahiliou Cituy Executive
Committee Askolchanka said that there was no adverse discrimination
of our party. All who file applications for holding mass events in
the places that hadn't been determined as suitable for them are
denied. However, the official said nothing about the peculiarities of
the organization of the events which are held by the authorities, as
well as about the fact that such "suitable places" had been
determined by the Mahiliou City Executive Committee,' ads Uladzimir
Shantsau.
Bear in mind that the Mahiliou authorities
prohibited the UCP activists to hold 10 pickets in the city center on
19 December 2012. The activists wanted to remind the people about the
peaceful post-election protests of 19 December 2012 and the existence
of political prisoners in Belarus and turn their attention to the
"privatization" of various state enterprises. According to
them, the election was rigged with the aim to steal the state
enterprises from the people.
