Law on gatherings to be tightened

The “house of representatives” amended the Law on Republican and Local Gatherings.

The information was posted on the website of the lower house of the Belarusian “parliament”, BelaPAN news agency reports.

In comparison with the law adopted in 2000, the draft law (which text can be found on pravo.by site) has a number of new articles, such as “termination of the gathering”, “persons responsible for preparation for and holding a local gathering, members of initiative groups”, “responsibility for violation of legislation on republican and local gatherings”.

Pro-opposition politician Viktar Ivashkevich is an initiator of holding mass public events in a form of local gatherings. On his initiative public gatherings were held in October  in ten Belarusian towns and in November in three towns.

The authorities did not agree these public events fall withing the law on republican and local gatherings. The Prosecutor General's Office issued warnings to Viktar Ivashkevich and Henadz Fyadynich, co-heads of the organizing committee, for holding illegal actions.

In autumn 2011, the Belarusian “parliament” approved amendments to the Law on Mass Events in the Republic of Belarus that tightened conditions for carrying out public actions.