Authorities Banned Picket In Support Of REP Trade Union In Baranavichy

Officials have violated human rights once again.

In Baranavichy, a picket in support of the REP independent trade union and its leadership has been banned. City executive committee officials have found a formal excuse to the refusal: there are no contracts with the police, the hospital and housing and communal services, Radio Racyja reports.

Although the picket applicant, activist and sole trader Mikalai Charnavus took that upon himself, human rights activist Siarhei Housha says:

– It is required in nowhere Europe to conclude contracts and pay money to someone. The state must do it. For that end, the police receive money from the state budget. As for the ambulance, if something happens, the applicants will call it by the mobile phone. Cleaning up the territory? This is a picket. What garbage is supposed to be there?

Human rights activist Siarhei Housha believes that it is necessary to change both local regulations and the law on mass events in Belarus. Prohibiting pickets, the officials violate human rights. It has been repeatedly mentioned in the Human Rights Committee's responses to complaints from Baranavichy. Officials were advised to change the laws. But the government does not want to change the law on mass events, Siarhei Housha says.