Viktar Ivashkevich: “We Want to Help Lukashenka” :: Charter'97 :: News

“As the Big Jeans Festival would take place on the anniversary of abduction of Viktar Hanchar and Anatol Krasouski, and is dedicated to solidarity with families of abducted politicians, denial to sanction the rally is impossible. Lukashenka told that search of the abducted is a matter of honour for him, and refusal would mean that in fact the authorities are involved in abductions of the Belarusian opposition leaders and a journalist. We want to help Lukashenka to find the missing,” told one of the organizers of the rally “Big Jeans Festival” Viktar Ivashkevich at a press-conference that was held yesterday in Minsk. “Big Jeans Festival” is to take place in Minsk on September 16. The rally is to start at 2.30 p.m. near “Kastrychnik” cinema, and to continue by a march to Bangalore Square, where a meeting and a concert will start at 4 p.m.

At the moment Minsk city executive committee is considering an application for holding the protest. The application has been made in line with all requirements of the law.

“The application has been made in line with all requirements of the legislation, considering the application that had been submitted for holding a concert “For Freedom!” on August 25, and which had been satisfied. According to the Article 6 of the Law “On Mass Events” any changes can be made by the Minsk city executive committee only as may be agreed with the applicants. We are ready for a constructive discussion with the authorities of Minsk on the format of the event, and we are sure that it would be held in correspondence with our application,” told another applicant Pavel Yukhnevich.