In Baranavichy picket in defence of workers’ rights banned

The city executive committee of Baranavichy banned a picket which was to be held under slogans “Contracts are stranglehold for workers” and “Actions of authorities to be put under citizens’ overview.”

An activist of the REP trade union Ryhor Hryk planned to hold a picket in the Old Park on April 4. The aim of the picket was to inform citizens about violations of the Constitution and laws on labour. Its slogans were to be “Actions of authorities to be put under citizens’ overview”, “Contracts are stranglehold for workers”, “For a Life without Lies and Falsehood.”

The trade union activist received a letter signed by the deputy chairman of the city executive committee Dzmitry Kastsyukevich and was told that the picket had been banned, as the applicant had not complied with all requirements of Article 5 of the Law on Mass Events in Belarus. In particular, he had not indicated that measures for public security and public order maintenance at a mass event would be taken, praca-by.info writes.

Ryhor Hryk strongly disagrees to that.

- I have concluded written agreements with the city outpatient hospital and the housing and utility sector, and the chief of the city department of Interior Affairs Herasimivich answered to my address in a written form. He wrote that after I receive a permission from the city executive committee of Baranavichy to hold the picket, the contract for public order maintenance would be concluded with me.