Constitutional Court refuses to consider appeal against picket bans in Salihorsk

The Constitutional Court of the Republic of Belarus did not to consider the appeal of the Salihorsk activist Uladzimir Shyla who stated about the unconstitutionality of the law enforcement practice of the executive authorities and the ordinary courts of the country , as well as the refusal to authorize mass events and the undue restriction of the constitutional right to freedom of expression and the right to peaceful assembly.

The reason for the appeal was the prohibition of the picket dated to the Freedom Day in March 2013. Last year Mr. Shyla received about 40 such refusals. He tried to appeal the ban on the Freedom Day picket at the district and the regional courts, but didn't manage to win a victory, that's why he decided to seek justice at the Constitutional Court.

“Unfortunately, the Constitutional Court didn't consider my appeal on its merrits. In its response I was reminded that proceedings on the non-constitutional nature of legal acts can be initiated only on proposals of the President, Parliament, the Supreme Court annd the Council of Ministers. The Constitutional Court is actually unattainable for ordinary people. Obviously, in our country this institution has only a purely decorative function,” said Uladzimir Shyla.

According to the activist, he sees no point to continue appealing against the picket ban at the national level, and intends to apply to the international institutions. Soon Uladzimir Shyla intends to prepare an appeal the UN Human Rights Committee.