Biaroza: appeal against Freedom Day picket ban to be considered May 12

At 11 a.m. on May 12 Biaroza District Court will start hearing the appeal of the human rights activists Siarhei Rusetski and Tamara Shchapiotkina and the civil society activist Tatsiana Tarasevich against the refusal of the Biaroza District Executive Committee to authorize the picket they intended to hold on March 25.

The refusal was signed by deputy chairman of the executive committee Yauhen Tarasiuk. The human rights activists clearly disagree that the objectives of the picket (commemoration of another anniversary of the Belarusian People's Republic and the demand to release political prisoners) incite national enmity.

“The picket bid doesn't mention any country or nationality. It is impossible to explain where Biaroza ideologists have seen inciting national enmity,” commented one of the applicants, Siarhei Rusetski.

This is not the first attempt of the human rights activists to protect their right to peaceful assembly. They have been challenging picket bans, issued by the Biaroza District Executive Committee, at courts, but the courts always side with the officials.

Their only achievement is that no they don't need to attach to their appeals for mass events to service contracts with the police, medics and public utilities, about which they were informed in the latest picket ban.