Belarusian opposition
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The Belarusian democracy movement is an opposition movement in Belarus which seeks to challenge the government of President Alexander Lukashenko.
Background
According to The Independent, Alexander Lukashenko has ruled the country in an authoritarian fashion since 1994.[1] The United Nations Human Rights Council has stated that Belarusian political system is "incompatible with the concept of human rights".[2]
History
Charter 97
Charter 97 is a declaration calling for democracy in Belarus and a human rights group taking its inspiration from the declaration. The document – whose title deliberately echoes the Czechoslovak human rights declaration Charter 77 twenty years earlier – was created on the anniversary of a referendum held in 1996, and which, in the words of the organisation of the same name, declares: "devotion to the principles of independence, freedom and democracy, respect to the human rights, solidarity with everybody, who stands for elimination of dictatorial regime and restoration of democracy in Belarus."
Jeans Revolution
The Jeans Revolution was a term used by the opposition in Belarus and their supporters to describe their effort and aspirations[3] as regarding democratic changes in Belarus at the presidential elections of 2006.
2010 presidential election
After the Belarusian presidential election, 2010, up to 40,000 people[4] protested against Lukashenko. Up to 700 opposition activists, including 7 presidential candidates, were arrested in the post-election crackdown.[5]
Several websites of the opposition and opposition candidates were also blocked or hacked.[6] Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Google Talk, many email services and LiveJournal were also blocked.[7] The headquarters of Charter97, an opposition group and website, was stormed by Lukashenko's security forces and all its staff was arrested.[8]
According to the Independent, Lukashenko's security forces went after his opponents "with a ferocity that would not have looked out of place in Soviet times".[1]
2011 protests
A series of protests influenced by the Arab Spring took place in 2011. As a result of these protests, on 29 July, the government banned assemblies and gatherings.[9]
2012 protests
On 25 March 2012, several thousand people participated in an anti-government rally in Belarus on the anniversary of Belarus's short-lived independence from Russia in 1918.[10] Belarusian state television reported that there were 200 protesters in Minsk.[11]
International support
Organizations
- The European Union has enforced sanctions against Lukashenko's government.
- NATO has enforced sanctions against the Lukashenko administration.
People
- Actors Kevin Spacey, Jude Law, Roger Lloyd-Pack and playwright Sir Tom Stoppard joined street protests in London against Lukashenko's government in 2011.[12]
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See also
- A Lesson of Belarusian
- BPF Party
- Belarusian People's Republic
- Belarusian Humanities Lyceum
- Day of Solidarity with Belarus
- Freedom Day (Belarus)
- YCSU Young Democrats
- Zubr (political organization)
References
- ^ a b In Europe's last dictatorship, all opposition is mercilessly crushed. The Independent on 8 March 2011
- ^ The United Nations Human Rights Council: Reports of the Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Belarus Archived 25 September 2012 at the Wayback Machine of 2006 E/CN.4/2006/36 of 16 January 2006, and 2007 (GE.07-10197 (E) 190107)
- ^ A 2005 Iryna Khalip interview Archived 16 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Belarus election ends with violent protests". cbc. 19 December 2010. Retrieved 19 December 2010.
- ^ "Belarus: 7 presidential candidates face 15 years". Kyiv Post. 22 December 2010. Retrieved 23 December 2010.
- ^ "Хакерская атака главного оппозиционного сайта Белоруссии осуществлялась из Петербурга". Gazeta.ru. 19 December 2010. Retrieved 19 December 2010.
- ^ "Facebook, Twitter, YouTube blocked in Minsk". Interfax-Ukraine. 20 December 2010. Retrieved 20 December 2010.
- ^ Schwirtz, Michael (21 December 2010). "Clashes in Belarus Show Resilience of Both Sides". New York Times. Retrieved 23 December 2010.
- ^ ]"Archived copy". Archived from the original on 14 August 2011. Retrieved 2011-07-30.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help)CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)] - ^ Karmanau, Yuras (25 March 2012). "Thousands in Belarus Protest Against Government". ABC News. Retrieved 26 March 2012.
- ^ "Belarusian Police Counted only 200 Protesters on Dzen Voli". Telegraf. 26 March 2012. Archived from the original on 11 June 2012. Retrieved 26 March 2012.
{{cite news}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ Against the Law: Jude joins Kevin Spacey on street protest against brutal Belarus regime of 'Europe's last dictator'. The Daily Mail. 29 March 2011