In Vitebsk continuing struggle for the right to be photographed on the streets of the city: a human rights activist Paul Levinau wrote a complaint to the prosecutor about the penalties for a photo shoot on a background of graffiti "with birds and cells." Executive committee sent him a written reply that the photo shoot is not considered a mass event.
In the complaint to the prosecutor of Vitebsk region Paul Levinau writes that the Republic of Belarus at the state level must guarantee the safety of every citizen's rights. Therefore, he believes that the court Zheleznodorozhny district, fined him 25 basic units for participating in a photo shoot as for participating in an unauthorized mass event, violated several of his rights: the right to peaceful assembly, to express their views and to be free to exercise their rights as individuals whose actions do not bear any harm to people or the public interest.
He points out that the penalty awarded by the judge Elena Tsygankova failed to challenge any provincial court, or after the call to the chairman of the regional court. All judicial structures and officials agreed on the fact that in November 2014 Vitebsk journalists and activists held a rally when photographed against a background of graffiti - three images of cells from which the birds fly to freedom. Six participants were fined a photo shoot, another left three days of arrest in the detention center.
According to the human rights activist, the situation has turned ridiculous: "According to the court, every citizen must ask permission from the authorities to be photographed in a particular place. It's crazy! But kaoy same conclusion supported and Railway district administration: I applied for a permit for a photo session, similar to the one that occurred with my participation in November. Got a refusal signed by the deputy chairman Lepeshkin. appeal to the executive committee, and got out and signed by Deputy Mayor Vladimir Shlomo answer an entirely different content. Like, photography is not included in the list of the activities listed in the law on mass events. Accordingly, neither for what permissions do not need to apply. However, seven participants were punished November photo shoot! I am going to try to appeal against the fine, for me, and if successful, I will help protect everyone who was in the same position".
Paul Levinau addressed to the regional prosecutor's office twice. Actually with the complaint of a violation of the law and their rights, and the application to the complaint. The second paper, he refers to the statements of Alexander Lukashenko during a press conference January 29, 2015 - that the police expressed in vain claims to citizens who peacefully express their attitude to the murder of French journalists, the magazine "Charlie Hebdo". February 4 were considered administrative proceedings against the UCP leader Anatoly Lebedko, deputy chairman of the party "green" Dmitry Kucuk and Paul Konovalchik. They came to the Embassy of France with posters "I am Charlie" to join the global wave of solidarity with the executed members of the Parisian magazine. Protesters were detained and made them protocols. But the processes have been canceled.
Paul Levinau convinced that punishment participants photoshoot in Vitebsk should be canceled because they did not do anything that could cause harm. On the contrary, the human rights activist, undermine the authority of the Republic of Belarus paid a police major Alexander Rybakov, who was participating in the photo shoot administrative reports, and those violations of individual rights became known far beyond the country. Foreign journalists in Brussels even held a rally in support of Vitebsk colleagues - they also took pictures with paper flowers and birds made of paper. And still holding posters with the words "Is it a crime?"
Viasna Human Rigts Center
