Pickets against poverty banned in regions

It was planned to hold pickets of up to 30 people in Pinsk and Baranavichy at noon on January 28.

Local activists of the Belarusian party of left “Fair World” applied for holding pickets to protest against sharp decrease in the standards of living and growing consumer prices.

As BelaPAN learned from Mikhail Ramantsau, a picket organizer in Pinsk, the authorities banned the event, because it was planned in a place not defined for pickets.

“We were going to have a picket near the entrance to the city market. It is a crowded place, especially at weekends. There is no sense in holding pickets in winter at the stadium or on the outdoor stage in the park, as the authorities want,” Ramantsau added.

According to Vitar Tsyapin, one of the organizers of the picket in Baranavichy, the action was planned in the old park in Kamsamolskaya Street. This place was chosen by the city authorities for holding mass events.

“I received an answer saying the picket is forbidden because the application for it does not meet articles 5 and 6 of the law on mass events. I think officials are looking for any excuse to ban uncomfortable pickets. As our experience shows, it’s useless to appeal against such bans,” Tsyapin said.

Brest activists of “Fair World” party were allowed to hold a picket on January 28 only if the organizers file contracts with police, public utility offices and health care facilities to the Brest city executive committee on January 26.

“We are not able to hold the picket because we do not have money to pay for services,” Lyudmila Dzyanisenka, the chair of the Brest party branch said. “We plan to turn to court to demand to cancel pay for services relating to mass events. All public service institutions, with which we have to sign contracts, are financed at the cost of taxpayers. But we are taxpayers, too.”