Hrodna human rights defenders oppose discrimination
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- Raman Yurhel (Belarusian Helsinki Committee), Uladzimir Khilmanovich and Viktar Sazonau ("Viasna")
Hrodna human rights defenders Viktar Sazonau, Uladzimir Khilmanovich and Raman Yurhel filed to the Leninski District Court of Hrodna another complaint against the ruling of the Hrodna City Executive Committee dated 4 October and signed by its deputy head Alena Ahei, by which they werre prohibited to hold an informational picket on 10 October 2013.
On the World Day against the Death Penalty the human rights activists wanted to inform the public about the situation with the death penalty in the world and in Belarus, and to demand the abolition of the death penalty in the country. According to the applicants, the executive committee violated their constitutional rights, and provided absurd reasons for the refusal.
They believe that Hrodna City Executive Committee manifested its bureaucracy by saying in its official response that they were required to write in their application whether teh event would be held with the use of fireworks or open fires. The applicants believe that they would need to report about it only in case they really intended to use fireworks and open fire.
Viktar Sazonau, Uladzimir Khilmanovich and Raman Yurhel are also convinced that the executive committee groundlessly and unlawfully decided that they would not be able "to comply with the requirements of the current legislation of the Republic of Belarus to ensure safe conditions for carrying out the claimed mass event and cleaning the territory after it's end”. The grounds for such a conclusion remain unclear.
