News on the topic: freedom of peaceful assembly
06.10.2011 Homel: court takes the side of city authorities
On 6 October Siarhei Shytsikau, Judge of the Tsentralny Distrift Court of Homel, turned down the appeal of human rights defenders Anatol Paplauny and Leanid Sudalenka against the refusal of the Mahiliou City Executive Committee to authorize pickets in support of human rights defender Ales Bialiatski, who is kept under arrest on criminal charges.
06.10.2011 Organizers of People's Assembly are summonsed to General Procuracy
The co-chairmen of the organizing committee of the People's Assembly Henadz Fiadynich and Viktar Ivashkevich received summons to the General Procuracy for 11 a.m. on 6 October. The reasons are not known yet.
06.10.2011 Authorities organize fairs and sportive events to block People's Assembly
The People's Assembly in Babruisk will be held near the shopping house “Vesta”. Everybody knows about it, including the authorities, as one of its organizers, Viktar Buzinayeu, sent invitations to this action to police officers and local officials.
06.10.2011 Search at Minsk Automobile Plant
Security guards of the Minsk Automobile Plant (MAZ) were looking for leaflets with information about the People’s Assembly.
06.10.2011 Homel: police detain silent protesters
On 5 October three participants of the silent protest rally were detained in Homel. The rally was held in the city despite of the pause in rallies announced by their organizers.
06.10.2011 Yan Melnikau sentenced to 5 days of arrest for handing out leaflets
On 5 October Yan Melnikau was detained while handing out leaflets with invitations to the People's Assembly at the check-point of the Minsk Automobile Plant. Today he has been sentenced to 5 days of arrest under Article 23.34 of the Code of Administrative Offenses, “violation of the order of organizing and holding mass events”, though norms of the Law “On Mass Events” don't concern people's assemblies, which are regulated by the Law “On National and Local Assemblies”.
05.10.2011 Five days of arrest for invitation to People's Assembly
Liavontsi Chypurnykh, deputy chairman of the Brest city branch of the Belarusian Leftist Party “Fair World” was sentenced to 5 days of arrest for handing out invitations to the People's Assembly which will take place on 8 October.
05.10.2011 Brest authorities ban trade-union picket
As, said by Valiantsin Lazarenkau, head of the Brest branch of the Free Trade Union, the picket, planned on 7 October – the World Day of defending the right for decent work, was prohibited by the city executive committee. The reason is that the applicants hadn't concluded agreements with the communal services, police and doctors, as prescribed by the executive committee's decisions.
05.10.2011 No career prospects for non-partisans?
Ideologists in regions intimidate people with the People’s Assembly, the “all-seeing” eye of the KGB and inability to get a promotion without joining Belaya Rus organization.
05.10.2011 Belarusian government bans “mass inaction”
Members of the House of Representatives adopted amendments to the Law on mass events in two readings on 3 October. The amendments were worked out following successful mass silent actions. The draft law on mass events in the Republic of Belarus prepared by the Council of Ministers provides for asking for permission to hold mass actions and mass inaction.
04.10.2011 Hrodna police warn organizers of People’s Assembly
On 4 October Pavel Staneuski, deputy chairman of the Hrodna regional branch of the Belarusian Leftist Party “Fair World”, was summonsed to the police department.
04.10.2011 Police struggle with abstainers
Police banned the initiative group “Temperance is easy!” to do weekly jogging in Gorky Park in Minsk on 2 October.
04.10.2011 Detained participants of picket on Svaboda Square got fined
About 20 people took part in the action that was held on 3 October in Svaboda Square. Nine of them were detained. The picket was organized by women who fell victims to grave crimes and who disagree with court decisions in their civil cases and criminal cases against their relatives. The picketers held posters “Officials must answer”, “Presidential administration is reliable guard from outrage in the country” and so on.
03.10.2011 Babruisk authorities prohibit signing for construction of school and hospital
Activists of the civil campaign “Tell the Truth!” are collecting signatures for the construction of a new school in the Zakhodni suburb, the reconstruction of the road on Krylou Street and concerning problems in the polyclinics in Farshtat suburb in Babruisk.
03.10.2011 Hrodna authorities pressurize civil activist Andrei Surhailis
Some time ago Andrei Surhailis was detained at a silent protest action and was punished with a fine. Later the Hrodna City Executive Committee didn't let him hold a picket against the increase of prices and pauperization of the population.
