News on the topic: freedom of expression
05.12.2013 Salihorsk, Baranavichy authorities ban Human Rights Day pickets
Chief ideology official of Salihorsk district executive committee, Mikalai Maskevich, did not allow local civil society activists to hold a picket to celebrate the Human Rights Day on December 10. According to the official, the application for holding a mass event on December 10, 2013 in the town’s Tsentralnaya Square does not meet the requirements of Article 5 of the Law “On Mass Events”.
04.12.2013 Hrodna: holding a picket costs more than 23 million rubles
On 4 December the Leninski District Court of Hrodna considered a complaint of the Hrodna human rights defenders Viktar Sazonau, Uladzimir Khilmanovich and Raman Yurhel against the prohibition of the picket they intended to hold on 10 October, the World Day Against the Death Penalty, by the Hrodna City Executive Committee.
04.12.2013 Brest Regional Court upholds the ban on a picket in Biaroza
Brest Regional Court dismissed the appeal of human rights defenders from Biaroza, who asked to recognize as illegal the ban on the picket they intended to hold on 4 August, and reverse the decision of the Biaroza District Court, which declared the decision of the Executive Committee lawful.
04.12.2013 Slonim District Executive Committee has banned 5 pickets already
The official correspondence between the civil activist Ales Masiuk and the executive committee continues, Mr. Masiuk continues filing applications for pickets, whereas the authorities still reject them.
02.12.2013 It is still unknown who put the website of HRC “Viasna” on the black list
The appeals to the state agencies which form the list of banned sites have yielded no results. The Ministry of Communications, in particular, reported that it didn't possess such information as far as the website spring96.org was not registered in the national segment of the Internet.
30.11.2013 Kalinkavichy activist files complaint against picketing ban
Kalinkavichy civil society activist Tamara Zaitsava filed a complaint to the district court against local executive committee officials, who banned a gathering outside the editorial office of the state-run newspaper “Kalinkavitskiya naviny.” The ban referred to the fact that the place is not on the list of locations authorized for mass gatherings by a decision of Kalinkavichy executive committee.
30.11.2013 Orsha activists to sue district executive committee over picketing
Yury Nahorny and Yauhen Anishchanka filed a complaint in the Courtof Orsha district to challenge the fact that the executive committee banned an event to campaign for the resolution of the town’s most acute problem – repairs of the bridge across the Dnieper.
29.11.2013 Biaroza human rights defenders appeal picket ban to Brest Regional Court
Biaroza human rights defenders are appealing the ruling of the district court who sided with the executive committee in banning a rally that was planned for October 10. They sent their appeal to the Brest Regional Court.
26.11.2013 Picket banned for one reason, another one named in court
Dzmitry Lupach (pictured), an activist from the town of Hlybokaye, tried to challenge in court a ban on a picket of solidarity with political prisoners imposed by the district authorities after local restrictions on holding mass events had changed. This was written in an official letter from the executive committee. However, the court suddenly named a different reason for the ban that was recognized as legitimate.
22.11.2013 Zmitser Vaitsiushkevich’s concert banned in Polatsk
Polatsk authorities banned a concert of Zmitser Vaitsiushkevich. The concert was to be held in local Center of Crafts and National Cultures and was initially agreed with the head of the ideology department of the executive committee However, on the eve of the concert the executive committee received a call from the regional authorities and the concert was banned.
22.11.2013 Bykhau authorities urged to select places for public events
Chairman of BPF’s Bykhau office, writer Siarhei Antonau filed yesterday a written request to the local executive committee Chairman Dzmitry Kaleyeu. The appeal asks the official to determine places for pickets in the town.
20.11.2013 Biaroza court sides with executive committee in ban on picket against the death penalty
On November 19, Biaroza District Court considered a complaint filed by human rights defenders Tamara Shchapiotkina and Siarhei Rusetsk, as well as civil society activist Tatsiana Tarasevich, to challenge a ban imposed by the district executive committee on a picket against the death penalty scheduled for October 10.
18.11.2013 Hlybokaye activist sues district executive committee over picket ban
Dzmitry Lupach, an activist of the Belarusian Christian Democracy, is appealing a court ban on the rally of solidarity with political prisoners scheduled for November 23. He believes the ban is illegal and asks the court to admit this and to oblige the executive committee to allow the event.
18.11.2013 Slonim: executive committee consistently denies permission for pickets
Ales Masiuk, an activist from the town of Slonim, Hrodna region, was not allowed to stage another picket scheduled for November 17 in the town park. The picket was expected to support the right of Slonim district residents to freely subscribe to the independent newspaper Hazeta Slonimskaya using the Belarusian post network, as well as to freely buy it at the Belsayuzdruk newsstands. The ban signed by the Acting First Deputy Chairman Uladzislau Hershhoryn was received just four days before the planned event. It explains that on the same day and time the location in Opernaya Street will be occupied by a mass public event entitled “Younger Generation – Ready!” to mark the International Students’ Day.
15.11.2013 Another picket banned in Baranavichy
Baranavichy city executive committee banned a rally under the slogan “They must be stopped”, “Public control for actions of the authorities”. It is said in a letter signed by the deputy chairman of the executive committee Mr. Kastsiukevich received by local trade union activist Ryhor Hryk. The official said that the government would not allow the rally, as the slogan of the claimed mass action violated the requirements of Art. 10 of the Law “On Mass Events in the Republic of Belarus”.
