News on the topic: freedom of expression
18.12.2013 Authorities ban picket to support EuroMaidan
Pickets of solidarity with Ukrainians were banned in several Belarusian towns.
18.12.2013 Brest authorities ban march in support of Ukraine's pro-EU protest
The organizers of the march were local representatives of the United Civil Party, who were going to express their solidarity with the Ukrainian people in their desire to live in the European Union.
17.12.2013 Orsha activists sue district executive committee over banned rally
Judge Alesia Kotava advised the applicants of the banned picket to immediately pay another court fee, so that the complaint could be considered in two separate trials. However, she saw no violated rights to organize a mass event.
16.12.2013 Bykhau district still lacks venues for public events
Chairman of the Bykhau regional branch of the BPF Party, writer Siarhei Antonau, received on December 14 a response to his appeal sent to the district executive committee’s chairman Dzmitry Kaleyeu to request to select places for staging pickets in the town.
16.12.2013 Brest human rights defender proposes to eliminate contradictions of legal acts
Uladzimir Vialichkin, a human rights activist from the city of Brest, visited deputy chairman of the city executive committee, Henadz Barysiuk, and filed a statement to propose to eliminate the contradictions that exist in the authorities’ decision on the procedures for holding public events, as its requirement to enter into an agreement with the police is contrary to a decree of the Council of Ministers.
13.12.2013 Brest authorities ban “Tuzin.Nemaulia” concert
After weeks of negotiations, the deputy head of the Brest City Executive Committee Henadz Barysiuk and the head of its ideological department, Ala Starykevich, banned ta concert of the project “Tuzin.Nemaulia”.
13.12.2013 Hrodna Regional Court turns down Ales Masiuk's appeal
On 11 December Hrodna Regional Court turned down the appeal of the social activist Ales Masiuk against a verdict of Slonim District Court. In September 2013, Mr. Masiuk applied to Slonim District Executive Committee asking to authorize a picket, which he intended to hold on 29 Septemmber to defend the right of citizens to subscribe to the independent newspaper “Hazeta Slonimskay
11.12.2013 Human rights defenders congratulate Baranavichy residents on Human Rigths Day
Despite an official ban on the 10 December picket, human rights defenders and social activists held a rally in Baranavicjhy in honor of the 65th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The activists handed out booklets with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, as well as information materials on human rights issues.
11.12.2013 Brest marks Human Rights Day with a round table
The event was attended by human rights activists, members of political parties, NGOs, trade unions and independent media.
09.12.2013 Not a minute for human rights in Vitsebsk
Human rights activist Pavel Levinau was prohibited to hold pickets on Human Rights Day, 10 December. He filed applications for the authorization of one-minute actions, but the district authorities rejected his applications.
09.12.2013 Orsha authorities ban a picket against the destruction of a park
Orsha District Executive Committee banned a picket, initiated by the social activists YuryNahorny and Ales Shutau. They intended to hold the picket on 12 December to protect the park in the neighborhood "Charomushki" where trees are demolished to build another multi-stored house.
09.12.2013 Two pickets dated to Human Rights Day banned in Vitsebsk
The formal reason is usual, the absence of the contracts for serving the events. The activists tried to enter into the needed service agreements with the appropriate agencies two months before the planned action, but the city's polyclinic and the regional police department refused to do it.
06.12.2013 Authorities have found a new way to prevent protest actions
Brest branch of the Trade Union of the Radio Electronic Industry filed an application to the Brest City Executive Committee for holding a picket on 10 December, the Human Rights Day.
06.12.2013 Bykhau authorities refuse to present information about the sites for holding mass events
On 3 December Bykhau writer and journalist Siarhei Antonau received a response from the local executive committee to his appeal to the chairman, Dzmitry Kaleyeu, in which he asked to determine a site for holding pickets in Bykhau.
05.12.2013 Astravets activist not allowed to stage anti-corruption picket
On December 4, a civil society activist from Astravets district, Mikalai Ulasevich, received a ban on a picket he was going to stage this Saturday. The purpose of the picket entitled “Put Corrupt Officials to Justice” was attracting the attention of local residents, as well as law enforcement agencies, to facts of malfeasance and corruption among senior government officials of the district.
