Belarusian women to gather on Freedom Square all the same
16- 3.12.2010, 14:31
A rally will take place on December 6 at 1 p.m. under the slogans: “Administration of Belarusian president is protection of lawlessness in the country”, “We demand officials to respect Constitution and laws of the country!”
The applicant for holding the rally, Tamara Syarhei, told to BelaPAN, that Minsk city executive committee had not allowed a group of women to hold a picket against violations of citizens’ rights by officials.
As said by her, the picket with up to 50 participants from all regions of Belarus is planned for December 6 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. near the building of the Town hall in Freedom Square.
As noted by the lawyer, the picket is aimed at attracting attention of the public and the state to the problem of formal replies, as citizens are not given meaningful answers, but get formal answers to their validated complaints.
The application for holding a picket on November 17 Syarhei received a written denial signed by the deputy chairman of Minsk city executive committee Mikhail Tsitsyankou. His position was motivated by the fact that the rally would “create obstacles to pedestrian traffic.”
The lawyer reminded that according to Article 3 of the Constitution of Belarus, the only source of the state power in the country is the people, who “exercise authority immediately, through representative and other bodies.” Thus, as said by her, Mikhail Tsitsyankou as an official who is at service to the nation, must obey the law when adopting decisions. “By his denial Tsitsyankou violated Article 35 of the Constitution of Belarus and the law on mass events. That is why we shall address the Prosecutor General’s office and ask to bring this high-ranking official to responsibility,” Syarhei said. She believes that citizens who know the plan of Freedom Square understand how absurd the denial to hold a picket is.
“Despite the ban we will carry out a picket to defend our rights, the Constitution and the legal system of Belarus from attacks of officials, including Mikhail Tsitsyankou,” Syarhei said.
