Mikalai Statkevich and Uladzimir Nyaklyayeu are going to organize an action dated for the 20th anniversary of the referendum that increased Alyaksandr Lukashenka’s powers. They are planning to organize it in Minsk on November 24 and have already sent their request to Minsk City Executive Committee, BelaPAN reports.
This is not an application that has to be sent 15 days before actions. It is just a notification. “There are no legitimate laws regulating the organization of mass actions in Belarus. The existing laws rudely violate citizens’ constitutional rights and to not correspond to Belarus’ international commitments,” the politician told BelaPAN.
“Opposition politicians have to make use of the Constitution and the practice existing in the neighbouring states.” he noted. “We are notifying the authorities about our plan to use our constitutional right for the freedom of assembly in Freedom Square on November 24. We will conduct a meeting dated for the 20th anniversary of the state coup, an evil day in the history of Belarus,” Mikalai Statkevich said.
The referendum of November 24, 1996 was initiated by Lukashenka. It changed the Constitution and prolonged the term of his presidency for two and a half years. The referendum results were not recognized by the International community, European Union, USA, OSCE and other influential international structures.