Unusual hearing took place in Vitebsk. Human rights activist Paul Levinau lodged a complaint against the official, who forbade him to hold a picket, and was present at the meeting, being ... in his apartment. The trial took place in a conference call over the Internet.

However, the unusual technique of the trial did not affect the decision taken by the judge Natalia Dasko: the court found the ban picket fair.

Paul Levinau appealed the denial of the picket, signed by the deputy head of administration of Pervomaisky district of Vitebsk Olga Gurchenko. Picket duration of 1 minute was to be held December 10, 2014. His aim was to assist government institutions in strengthening and development of human rights, promotion of documents in support of human rights and public expression of opinion on the issue of human rights violations.

Deputy District Administration banned the picket, citing, as usual, the absence of the applicant's service contracts with the police action, medical and housing, although the application for the conclusion of the necessary contracts in all these services Paul Levinau sent.

Human rights activist hoped that the official, who refused him in the picket, give their explanations in court at least at a distance - therefore asked the judge to hold a meeting on Skype. In vain ... Mrs. Gurchenko did not want to meet with the plaintiff, even online, and so the meeting was held without its participation.

The court did not take into account the arguments of human rights defender Levinau, his mention of international law and decisions of the United Nations Human Rights Committee. The verdict: prohibiting picketing, deputy district administration did everything right.

New technologies have finally reached the courts. Now they are ready to do everything online. Perhaps, following the adoption of new ways of doing courtroom courts finally take the next step: a new way to look at will be the human rights guaranteed to every citizen by the Constitution and international legal acts signed by Belarus? And maybe soon the day will come when the right to peaceful assembly and expressing their opinions can be defended in court - which in Vitebsk could not do even once in the last 5 years, during which local authorities did not allow any public action opposition and human rights activists?