Vitsebsk: holding of picket is hindered by... box
Vitsebsk activists received a letter
from the ambulance, which refused to send a car to their picket on 12
April due to alleged business.
Last time the doctors of the
central polyclinic referred to a "outburst of seasonal
illnesses" on Freedom Day and refused to conclude a service
agreement with the organizers of an appropriate rally for this
reason. At the same time, the city authorities refuse to authorize
any mass events without being presented such agreements by their
organizers.
Vitsebsk social-democrat Aliaksei Haurutsikau and
the head of the regional branch of the "For Freedom"
movement Khrystafor Zhaliapau wanted to hold a picket of solidarity
with political prisoners and against the impoverishment of the
Belarusian population on 12 April in 30-hoddzia VLKSM Park.
However,
Pershamaiski District Executive Committee refused to authorize the
event due to the absence of the service agreement with the medics.
The ambulance service, in its turn, refused to conclude a service
agreement under the pretext that "the brigades will be serving
the national box universiade".
Mr. Zhaliapau has already
tried to make the medics conclude a service agreement for another
action through court. However, Kastrychnitski District Court of
Vitsebsk ruled that the institution has the right to decide whether
to conclude service agreements or not. At the same time, according to
the ruling of Vitsebsk City Executive Committee, mass events can be
held only if their organizers present service agreements with the
police, medics and public utilities.
The local activists have
repeatedly tried to initiate changes in this ruling. However, the
authorities object that the ruling passed legal examination and was
introduced in the register of legal acts of the Republic of Belarus
and therefore is flawless.
