Freedom Day Rally Applicants Warned by Minsk City Executive Committee :: Charter'97 :: News

Applicants for Freedom Day rally held in Minsk on March 25, have received written warnings of Minsk city executive committee. Warnings are addressed to the chairman of the Political Council of the united democratic forces Alyaksandr Milinkevich, the leader of the Belarusian Popular Front party Vintsuk Vyachorka, an acting head o the Belarusian Social Democratic party (Hramada) Anatol Lyaukovich and a deputy chairman of the United Civil party Ihar Shynkaryk.

As the BelPAN informs, in the letter signed by the deputy chairman of Minsk City executive committee Mikhail Tsitsyankou it is noted that the city executive committee has received “numerous addresses of Minsk dwellers and guests of the city” expressing “protest against holding marches and the rally held on March 25 unsanctioned by the Minsk city executive committee”. As said in the letter the street rally allegedly interfered with the traffic and passage of pedestrians and caused pollution of the closest territory, failures in the work of public transport and retail trade. This all finally had a negative bearing to the rhythm of the capital’s life”, the letter reads.

The deputy chairman of the city executive committee warns applicants for the rally that in case of repetition of unsanctioned rallies “appropriate measures” would be used against them in line with the current law in force”.

I.Shynkaryk is set to address the Minsk city executive committee with an appeal to let him read the list of “numerous indignant citizens”. “2 million people live in the capital. How many indignant people have addressed you? Are there 20,000 of them? If the matter concerns 2 or 3 pensioners demonstrated by the state-run TV, other 2 million had no problems,” the UCP press-service informs he said.

I.Shynkaryk views the warnings of the authorities as “intimidation and elementary blackmailing”. “They are afraid, that is why they are acting with the use of such cheap methods. It’s just propaganda. Let them read the Constitution better,” the politician said.

As we have informed, another street rally of the opposition is planned for April 26 in Minsk. It is timed to another anniversary of Chernobyl nuclear power station disaster.