On 26 July, Mazyr human rights defender Uladzimir Tseliapun received negative replies from local district executive committee and council concerning his application for holding a demonstration on 4 August to demand the release of Viasna leader Ales Bialiatski.

Both replies are identical, saying that the event has been banned as it does not meet Art. 2 of the Mass Events Code, which defines the demonstration as a “mass movement of a group of citizens”. Meanwhile, the expected protest would involve only one person.