Police Delivers Ultimatum to Organizers of Charnobylski Shliakh :: Charter'97 :: News

On Monday the chairman of the steering committee of the Charnobylski Shliakh march, Viktar Ivashkevich was informed in the city police department that it would not be allowed to use unregistered symbols during the Charnobylski Shliakh.

Right after the conversation with the leadership of Minsk police ended, the chairman of the steering committee for holding the Charnobylski Shliakh Viktar Ivashkevich told to the Radio Svaboda:

“They told that unregistered insignia cannot be used during mass rallies, and gave a statement of a legal commission that no party logos had been registered for today. However I told that the Belarusian Popular Front would carry its flags anyway. I was told that I would be either officially warned, or fined, or sentenced to 15 days of arrest. And I signed the document”.

Deputy Chairman of the Belarusian Popular Front Party Viktar Ivashkevich told about one more limitation. Previously policemen promised to shut off traffic during the march, however now Minsk authorities ruled that the participants of the Charnobylski Shliakh must go along sidewalk.

The Minsk city executive committee allowed holding a demonstration from Academy of Science along the main street of Minsk, along Surganov Street up to Chernobyl chapel in the Park of Nations’ Friendship by Bangalore Square. Initially it was planned to start the march from October Square. Leaflets with this address have been printed. However the authorities refused the application to start from the square.

It is expected that Alyaksandr Milinkevich would come to October Square beforehand to explain the situation and urge to come to Academy of Science, and join the march to Chernobyl Chapel.