Mahiliou human rights defenders continue appealing against the prohibition of the picket in support of Ales Bialiatski

The appropriate appeal against the verdict of the Leninski District Court of Mahiliou, the ruling of the Mahiliou Regional Executive Committee "On Mass Events in Mahiliou" and the letter of the main bureau on the ideology, culture and youth affairs of the Mahiliou Regional Executive Committee, which rejected the appeal against the picket ban, was filed to the judicial board on civil cases of the Mahiliou Regional Court.

The human rights defenders Barys Bukhel and Aliaksei Kolchyn ask the court to reverse the ruling of the Leninski District Court of Mahiliou for 22 October 2013 and submit the case for a new trial. The human rights activists also want the court to set aside the ruling of the Mahiliou City Executive Committee № 25-19 dated 19 December 2007 "On Mass Events in Mahiliou", and № 15-12 from 16 June 2010 "On Amendments to the ruling of the Mogilev City Executive Committee № 25-19 dated 19 December 2007 "On Mass Events in Mahiliou”. The also ask the court to declare letter № 23-1-Co from 12 September2013 of the main bureau of Ideological Work, Culture and Youth Affairs of the Mahiliou Regional Executive Committee, which dismissed the appeal against the aforementioned rulings.

 "We also want the court to consider this appeal together with our appeal against the verdict of the Leninski District Court of Mahiliou for 3 September 2013 on the appeal against the refusal of the executive manager of the Mahiliou City Executive Committee Ihar Auseyenka № 4858/19, dated 29July 2013, to let us hold the picket, and to exact from the executive committee the court fee of 165,000 rubles, paid by us,” states Mr. Bukhel.

 The human rights activist notes that in accordance with Article 35 of the Constitution, Articles 4 and Article 5 of the Law "On Mass Events in the Republic of Belarus" and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, ratified by our country, the exective committee had no legitimate reason to ban the picket.

Bear in mind that on 4 August the Mahiliou human rights defenders intended to hold a picket with the demand to release Ales Bialiatski and other political prisoners from jail, in the city center, near house No. 31 in Pershamaiskaya Street, opposite the post office. However, the officials banned the picket, referring to the fact that the only legally permitted place for such events in Mahiliou was near the stadium “Khimik”, in an unfrequented place on the outskirts of the city.