March 25 rally in Biaroza banned over inciting national hatred

Biaroza human rights defenders Tamara Shchapiotkina and Siarhei Rusetski, who were going to hold a picket on March 25, Freedom Day, had little time to get ready for the event, which was initially allowed by the local executive committee.

On March 20, after a call from the executive committee the organizers began to prepare for the picket, and on March 21 they received permission signed by the Acting Chairman of the Executive Committee Mikhail Kreidzich.

However, in the morning on March 22 they received another letter which cancelled the previous decision. It was signed by the same executive committee Acting Chairman Mikhail Kreidzich. Interestingly, the ban was dated March 20. At the same time, the envelope stamps said it was sent and received on March 22.

The official reason for the refusal is promoting national enmity.

Meanwhile, the announced purpose of the picket is marking the 96th anniversary of the independence of the Belarusian People's Republic and protesting against the Russian Federation aggression on the territory of Ukraine and the deployment of Russian military bases on the territory of the Republic of Belarus, as well as demanding to release political prisoners.