Minsk city executive committee banned action in memory of Yury Zakharanka

Svyatlana, widow of kidnapped ORT TV channel operator Zmitser Zavadsky, received a refuse from the deputy head of the Minsk city executive committee to her application on holding a picket in Minsk on 7 May, dedicated to the 9th anniversary of disappearance of General Yury Zakharanka.

As Svyatlana Zavadskaya told to “Narodnaya Volya” newspaper, on 21 April she filed an application for holding a picket on 7 May 2008, the day when Yury Zakharanka had been kidnapped.

The aim of the picket is to attract attention of the public to the fact that cases of the famous people disappeared in Belarus are not really investigated and also to the fact that International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance should be adopted and ratified by the Republic of Belarus. This convention is additional guarantees to Belarusian citizens from enforced disappearances and other violation of their rights to freedom and personal security.

“We could hardly expect a positive reply. However, I and my associates decided to apply. The Minsk city executive committee gave a negative answer, referring to the law of the Republic of Belarus “On Mass Events in the Republic of Belarus,” in particular to the fact, mass street event are permitted at a distance of at least 200 meter from pedestrian underpasses, metro stations,” S. Zavadskaya told.

According to her, the refusal of the Minsk city executive committee is not motivated and contradicts international obligations of Belarus, so she is going to appeal to court against it. “I don’t understand why Minsk city committee decided the picket would be held at a distance less than 200 meters from pedestrian underpasses and metro stations. I’ll try to find out not only these moments, but other ones, that are mentioned in the law “On Mass Events in the Republic of Belarus,” which seriously abridge freedom of expression and contradicts international obligations, undertaken by the Republic of Belarus by signing the Covenant of Civil and Political Rights. So I am going to appeal to court against this decision,” Svyatlana Zavadskaya said.