Brest Regional Court dismisses UCP election complaint

The complaint dealt with a decision of the trial court that confirmed a ban on an election rally held in Brest on February 24 and said that the protesters violated the procedure of holding mass events.

As suggested by the head of the United Civil Party’s Brest regional branch Uladzimir Vuyek, the rally was entirely within the Belarusian legislation and the application had been filed under the notifying principle that corresponds to the Electoral Code. “Moreover, we stressed that law-enforcement officials actually violated our right to peaceful assembly, rallies and demonstrations, guaranteed by the Constitution of the Republic of Belarus”, said Vuyek. According to him, the decision of the Regional Court will also be appealed, this time to the Supreme Court.

The picket that took place on February 24 in the center of Brest was attended by the UCP leader Anatol Liabedzka. During the event, the party activists handed out materials and talked about the need for free and fair elections in Belarus. After the picket was over, some of the participants were charged with administrative offences, and the court later sentenced local leader Uladzimir Vuyek to a fine of 25 basic units, and the party activists Dziyana Kastsiukovich and Yury Zhydovich to a fine of 10 basic units each.

“Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections”