Petition by human rights defender makes Brest city executive committee amend restrictions on street events

On December 10, human rights defender Uladzimir Vialichkin addressed Brest city executive committee with a request to eliminate the contradictions contained in the legal acts regulating the procedure for the organization of public events. The petition was caused by the circumstances of preparing a picket dedicated to the 65th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

During the preparation, it turned out it was impossible to meet the requirement of the city executive committee of 2011, urging the applicants to sign a contract with the local department of the Interior. It contradicts a regulation of the Council of Ministers of 2012, which states: "the local executive and administrative bodies should within one day from the date of the registration of an application for holding a mass event send a copy to the territorial authority of the Interior to address issues which relate to the protection of public order and public security, and making appropriate proposals."

Uladzimir Vialichkin asks deputy chairman of the Brest city executive committee to remove restrictions that are contrary to the provisions of the Council of Ministers’ decision.

The city executive committee sent a reply, signed by the administrative department head, saying that “Brest city executive committee prepared a draft decision "On Amendments to decision № 1210 of Brest city executive committee of June 30, 2011", which provides for removing the conflicting paragraph.