Residents of Hlybokaye are deprived of the opportunity to hold mass events
Executive Committee decided to amend its decision on the organization of public events - a place to change their conduct. It was found that, when local activists decided to organize a rally of solidarity with political prisoners . On receipt of their refusal letter , mass actions actually banned indefinitely.
As written in the letter signed by the chairman of the Hlybokaye District Executive Committee Aleh Morkhat, amendments to the earlier ruling of the executive committee were introduced on 8 October. It is an interesting coincidence: the application for the picket of solidarity with political prisoners was filed on 11 October, and the information that the executive committee changed the place for mass events was published at about the same time.
“The official website of the DEC contains a strange chronology: at first there is information about some events of 10 October, and then – about the amendments in its ruling for 8 October. The needs for the amendments are not explained. This is quite strange: the earlier ruling, No. 167, was adopted quite recently, on 13 February 2012. According to it, the officially determined place for mass events was the ground near the city culture house. This very place was indicated in the application,” comments the activist of the civil campaign “Tell the Truth” Yaraslau Bernikovich.
In its new ruling the Hlybokaye District Executive Committee determined a new place for mass events - the square at the intersection of Lenin, Internatsyianalnaya, Paliavaya and Chyrvonykh Partyzanau Streets. The activists read this in an ad on the website of the executive committee. The head of the DEC wrote nothing about the new place for mass events in his letter concerning the picket ban. Instead, he pointed that the ruling in its new edition was undergoing a legal examination at the regional justice bureau, after which it needs to be included in the register of the state legal acts and only then it could be published in the district state-own newspaper and enter into legal force, if it doesn't require any further work or amendments.
The picket of solidarity with political prisoners was scheduled for 23 November. Obviously, the ban on the rally shows that the chairman of the district executive committee is firmly convinced that by this the ruling will not be adopted and published. It is not known till what time Hlybokaye residents will be deprived of the opportunity to exercise their right to organize mass events.
By the way, representatives of the democratic forces intended to hold actions of solidarity with political prisoners on a monthly basis and prepared another application on 5 November. However, it seems pointless to file it to the executive committee. Moreover, the authorities say nothing as to how much the activists will have to wait to discuss this issue with their compatriots.
