Night Wolves have no permission for public events in Belarus

Night Wolves - Russian bikers from Putin's favorite club -  are planning to hold in Belarus unauthorized mass event. However, they call it a Victory route motocross "To Berlin!" But the law says otherwise. According to the law "On mass events", motocross on the roads of Belarus falls under the definition of "street rally." To hold it, it is neccessary to obtain permission from the local authorities.

Euroradio: According to the law "On mass events", street rally is an organized mass action movement of the group of citizens on the sidewalk or road, boulevard, avenue, square with intention to draw attention to some issues or public expression of their social and political attitudes or protest.

As Euroradio discovered, about 20 "Night Wolves" on their motorbikes will take part in the rally. They will go in an organized column "in order to attract attention and for public expression" - well, all in accordance with the law. But did they receive permission from the Belarusian authorities to carry out the rally?

Vitsebsk region will be the first to greet the Russian bikers. The Night Wolves did not turn tp the Vitsebsk Regional Executive Committee for permission to hold their rally on the Vitsebsk roads.

"There was nothing of the kind, Head of ideological department of the Vitsebsk Regional Executive Committee Anatol Hutsulyak told Euroradio. Of course, they have to telll us when and where it will happen - everyone should know."

Right now the official has a paper on his table, in which the organizers of the rally Usau - Polatsk - Hatchyna - Talachyn notified the Executive Committee about their willingness to carry out such "autorally." But the "Wolves" did not. They did not turn for permission to the Vitsebsk city executive committee either - it was confirmed to the Euroradio in the city department of ideology.

But did you hear about the rally at all?Neither did I. It is because according to the law "On mass events" it is prohibited to place information about the event before obtaining the permit even in social networks.

Everyone must receive a permit for rallies. The cyclists, if they wish to hold a bike ride through the streets of the city, are required to get this permission, agrees the spokesperson of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Kanstantsin Shalkevich. However, he was in no hurry to comment on the likely Night Wolves' rally.

Kanstantsin Shalkevich: "If you called me two years ago about the same issue (Night Wolves then had a similar rally - Euroradio), I would study it and tell you unequivocally "yes" or "no" (if it is required to get a permit to hold such a motocross - Euroradio), and the solution could be such and such. The issue should be studied: it may or may not be necessary to get permission. As I recall, the last time the traffic police took part in the rally, but not in terms of support, and there were some joint events planned."

But when the Minsk bike fans held a "retro rally" without permission from the authorities, the organizer was readily fined 2 million rubles!

In short, it seems that the Russian bikers did not ask the Belarusian authorities for permission. What are they thinking? They are not planning to ask for it, manager of the motocross Andrei Babrouski told Euroradio.

"This is not a rally - it's just a few motorcyclists on the road without breaking the rules. What do we need to get approved? We will be ordinary road users, and we do not need an escort. We're just moving like other motorists, not breaking any rules and not interfering."

Nevertheless, they plan to call in Khatyn and the Brest Fortress, to lay flowers. It is also a rally under our laws. In Minsk people also just wanted to, in their words, lay flowers to the monument of Taras Shevchenko, and they received fines and got arrested as a result.

Andrei Babrouski: "If we are detained for laying flowers, I believe, no one will understand - neither Belarusians nor Russians. Therefore, I believe that it will be on the conscience of the person who does so."

And what does the conscience have to do with it? The law is equal for all, isn't it?

Photo: joinfo.ua, 15minut.org.