In Pervomay District Court held a hearing on the complaint of Vitebsk activist , who asked to oblige the district authorities for permission to hold a picket against the deployment of Russian military bases. But representatives of the district administration at May Day decided not to be a process, but the court left the complaint . The complaint of the regional coordinator of the "For Freedom" Christopher Zhelyapov and a representative of the organizing committee of the Party " Narodnaya Gromada " Alexei Gavrutikov concerned the ban on picket on September 8.
"From the district administration sent a paper that asked the court to consider the complaint in their absence. And the judge Olga Ivanova did not see any reason to require officials to give us permission next time. Did not come to court and representatives of the Vitebsk Oblast Department of the Interior . We requested that they were here as well, for it is with this structure , we were not able to conclude an agreement on the action , as required by the relevant decision of the Vitebsk city executive committee. decision number 881 states that contracts with utilities, police and medics should be attached directly to the application. While in other cities sequence is reversed: first get permission , and then enter into contracts . example and regulated by law on mass events . Vitebsk But the opposite is true . and the Provincial Department of Interior had violated this order : they waited until the district administration will give us a waiver for lack of confirmation on providing their services for the protection of the picket , and then sent his response - say, what is now the contract , if you still smoking . "
On examination of the application to the First District Court were the only representatives of the central city clinic . With them, the activists were also unable to conclude an agreement , continues Alexey Gavrutikov : "Today we were told that the weekend ambulance is too busy. And if we do our share in conjunction with a weekend , when it is more convenient for people to come , even on a cooperation agreement not count . The judge denied our request to oblige the responsible agencies to conclude a contract with us . And did not see reason to make a particular decision that City Council decision is not feasible, since broken rational sequence permission to mass action . Thus , the decision of Vitebsk on number 881 again not considered feasible and worthy of correction, when in fact it is there , and our right to public expression are violated more than a year . "
The current attempt to achieve through the courts the possibility to hold a rally in Vitebsk is not the first . Alexei Gavrutikov , Christopher Zhelyapau and activists have tried to sue the district administrations and the responsible authorities. However, it has not brought results . At a joint letter residents of Vitebsk , written this summer , as there was no positive response. As Mayor of the City argued that the decision on the organization and conduct of mass actions took legal expertise , which it is registered in the register of public acts , so perfect , and does not require changes.
Meanwhile, in 3 years of this solutions opposition activists failed to get any permits for public events.
Viasna Human Rights Center
