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Belarusian opposition

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(Redirected from Democracy in Belarus)
For the Belarusian democracy movement of the early 20th century, see Belarusian Democratic Republic.

The former flag of the Republic of Belarus from 1991 to 1995, also used as the official flag of the Belarusian Democratic Republic (1918), is currently used by various opposition groups and individuals.[1][2]

The Belarusian opposition consists of groups and individuals in Belarus seeking to challenge, from 1988 to 1991, the authorities of Soviet Belarus, and since 1995, the leader of the country Alexander Lukashenko (allied with Vladimir Putin), whom supporters of the movement often consider to be a dictator.[3] Supporters of the movement tend to call for a parliamentary democracy based on a Western model, with freedom of speech and political and religious pluralism. [citation needed]

Background

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See also: Human rights in Belarus and Censorship in Belarus

The modern Belarusian democracy movement originated in the late 1980s when Mikhail Gorbachev's Perestroika and the Chernobyl disaster exposed the serious shortcomings of the Soviet system and galvanized a significant section of Belarusians around the issues of environment, de-Stalinization, national revival and democratic change.[4]

The dissolution of the Soviet Union brought about a brief period of democracy from 1991 to 1994. However, since his election in 1994, Alexander Lukashenko established an authoritarian rule creating a political system which the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) stated is "incompatible with the concept of human rights".[5]

History

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1988 anti-Soviet protests

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On 3 June 1988 the Minsk-based weekly "Litaratura i mastatstva" ("Literature And Art") published an article by archeologists Zianon Pazniak and Yauhen Shmyhalyou about the unearthing of 500 mass graves of Stalinist victims in Kurapaty on the outskirts of the Belarusian capital. The article was the first publication in Belarus about crimes of the Soviet-era authorities. This was followed in October that year by the establishment of the Martyrology of Belarus to commemorate the victims of communism, and an organizational committee for the creation of the Belarusian Popular Front, which subsequently became an ardent advocate of Belarus's independence from the Soviet Union.[6]

On 30 October 1988, riot police in Minsk violently dispersed a mass demonstration to commemorate the victims of Stalinism at Kurapaty – the first of many such clashes in modern Belarusian history.[6]

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On 24 and 25 June 1989 the Belarusian Popular Front “Revival” (Belarusian: Адраджэньне) was formally established with Pazniak as chairman.[6]

1991 Belarusian Strikes

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Main article: 1991 Belarusian strikes

The 1991 Belarusian Strikes were a series of nationwide strikes and pro-independence rallies against the Soviet authorities and their policies. Falling living standards and unemployment along with Glasnost and Perestroika policies also sparked massive demonstrations and unrest by mostly young people, demanding democracy and leading labour protests across Belarus.

In 1990, Belarus held its first competitive parliamentary elections to the Supreme Soviet, which upon the dissolution of the Soviet Union declared Belarus an independent nation.[6][7]

Election of Lukashenko

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On 19 June 1994 Belarus held its first presidential election, won by Lukashenko. From 1995 he began to consolidate his power at the expense of the Parliament and other institutions.[6][7]

Minsk Spring (1996–97)

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Main article: Minsk Spring

A series of mass street protests called “Minsk Spring” or “Belarusian Spring” took place in the springs of 1996–97 triggered by a constitutional referendum on amendments to the 1994 Constitution of Belarus. The Belarusian political system became increasingly authoritarian with the government seeking to curtail all political freedoms.[8]

Charter 97

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Main article: Charter 97

Charter 97 is a human rights group taking its inspiration from the 1997 declaration calling for democracy in Belarus. The document – whose title deliberately echoes the Czechoslovak human rights declaration Charter 77 twenty years earlier – was created on the anniversary of the referendum held in 1996, and which, in the words of the organization, 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."

Freedom March (1999)

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Main article: Freedom March (Belarus)

On 17 October 1999, dozens of Belarusians took to the streets to rally against the impending implementation of the Union State of Belarus with Russia, forming a confederation and ending Belarus' independence. In response to the march, the Belarusian government suspended further integration between the two states.

Jeans Revolution (2006)

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Main article: Jeans Revolution

The Jeans Revolution was a term used by the opposition in Belarus and its supporters to describe their effort and aspirations[9] on democratic changes in Belarus, in the period leading up to the 2006 presidential election.

2010 presidential election

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Main article: 2010 Belarusian presidential election

After the 2010 Belarusian presidential election, up to 40,000 people[10] protested against Lukashenko. Up to 700 opposition activists, including 7 presidential candidates, were arrested in the post-election crackdown.[11]

Several websites of the opposition and opposition candidates were also blocked or hacked.[12] Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Google Talk, many email services and LiveJournal were also blocked.[13] The headquarters of Charter 97, the opposition group and website, was stormed by Lukashenko's security forces and all of its staff were arrested.[14]

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".[15]

2011 protests

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Main article: 2011 Belarusian protests

A series of protests influenced by a serious economic crisis took place in 2011. As a result of these protests, on 29 July, the government banned assemblies and gatherings.[16]

2017 protests

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Main article: 2017 Belarusian protests

Due to an ongoing economic recession, continuing since the last series of protests in 2015, due to falling gasoline prices, that year a law was passed taxing the unemployed.[17] Roughly 470,000 Belarusians are obliged to pay the tax but only about 10% have since it was issued.[17]

Approximately 2,500 protesters[18] filled the streets in the capital of Belarus, Minsk, on 17 February to protest a policy that required those who work for less than 183 days[19] per year to pay USD$250 for "lost taxes" to help fund welfare policies.[20] This converts to approximately Rbls 5 million—a half-month's wages.[17] The law has proven unpopular and has been mocked in the public as the "law against social parasites".[17] On 19 February, another 2,000 demonstrated in the second city of Homieĺ.[20] Both gatherings were peaceful. Smaller demonstrations were held in other cities.[18]

On 25 March, opposition leader Vladimir Nekliayev, who was set to speak at the main protest, was allegedly stopped in the morning on his way to Minsk.[21]

The government defended the mass arrests and beatings against citizens by alleging that the police had found "petrol bombs and arms-laden cars" near a protest in Minsk.[22]

An image of Belarusian leader of the opposition government-in-exile, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya.
Belarusian opposition government-in-exile leader, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, in 2023.

2020 presidential election, protests, and partisan movement

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Main articles: 2020–2021 Belarusian protests, 2020 Belarusian presidential election, and Belarusian partisan movement (2020–present)

In May 2020, a lowered approval of Lukashenko amid his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic led to street protests and the blogger Sergei Tikhanovsky labeling Lukashenko as a cockroach as in the children's poem "The Monster Cockroach", referring to a slipper signifying stamping the insect. Many opposition candidates registered for the next election as a result of the movement, but many of them were arrested.[23]

Mass protests erupted across Belarus following the 2020 Belarusian presidential election which was marred by allegations of widespread electoral fraud.[24][25] Subsequently, opposition presidential candidate Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, Tikhanovsky's wife, claimed she had won the presidential election with between 60 and 70% of the vote[26][27] and formed a Coordination Council to facilitate the peaceful and orderly transfer of power in Belarus.[28][29] Online groups on Telegram such as Nexta, as well as smaller decentralised groups, played an important role in the spread of information and coordination of opposition activities.[30]

The suppression of the protests resulted in the intensification of an ongoing partisan movement within the country, which is backed by the Coordination Council. Leading partisan formations include the Supraciǔ (an alliance between the Cyber Partisans, People's Self Defense Brigades, and Busly liaciać),[31][32] the Community of Railway Workers of Belarus, and BYPOL, among others.

Freedom Day

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Freedom Day (Belarusian: Дзень Волі, Dzień Voli) is an unofficial holiday in Belarus celebrated on 25 March to commemorate the declaration of independence by the Belarusian Democratic Republic by the Third Constituent Charter on that date in 1918. The day has been used annually by the Belarusian democracy movement to protest against Alexander Lukashenko since his election.

Russian invasion of Ukraine

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Main article: Belarusian involvement in the Russian invasion of Ukraine § Opposition

Protests emerged from the Belarusian opposition condemning Lukashenko's support and involvement with the Russian invasion of Ukraine on 27 February 2022, shortly after the war's beginning. According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, over 800 people had been detained for involvement within these protests.[33][34] Activists from the opposition later engaged in activity to support Ukraine in the conflict, including attacks on the Belarusian Railway, a state railroad which had been utilized by Russia to support the Kyiv offensive.[35][36]

Opposition parties and organisations

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International support

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Organizations

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  • European Union The European Union has enforced sanctions against Lukashenko's government.

Governments

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The following governments have given diplomatic support to the Belarusian democracy movement:

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Here's why are protesters in Belarus are flying a white-and-red flag". meduza.io. Retrieved 19 August 2020.
  2. ^ Ulasik, Valeriya; Shalayeva, Alena; Wesolowsky, Tony (4 August 2019). "Unflagging Protest: Belarus's Opposition Inspired By A Pensioner And Her Outlawed Banner". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Archived from the original on 24 March 2020.
  3. ^ Tharoor, Ishaan. "Analysis | Can people power topple Europe's 'last dictator'?". Washington Post. Retrieved 24 August 2020.
    "Profile: Alexander Lukashenko". BBC News. BBC. 9 January 2007. Retrieved 7 August 2014. '..an authoritarian ruling style is characteristic of me [Lukashenko]'
    Levitsky, Steven; Way, Lucan A. (2010). "The Evolution of Post-SovietCompetitive Authoritarianism". Competitive Authoritarianism: Hybrid Regimes after the Cold War. Problems of International Politics. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p. 203. ISBN 9781139491488. Retrieved 12 June 2020. Unlike his predecessor, Lukashenka consolidated authoritarian rule. He censored state media, closed Belarus's only independent radio station [...].
    Treisman, Rachel (16 August 2020). "One Week After Election, Belarus Sees Giant Protests Against 'Europe's Last Dictator'". NPR.org. Retrieved 24 August 2020.
  4. ^ Zaprudnik, Jan (1993). Belarus: At A Crossroads In History (Westview series on the post-Soviet republics). ISBN 9780813313399.
  5. ^ 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)
  6. ^ a b c d e "Post-Soviet Belarus: A Timeline". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 2 February 2012. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
  7. ^ a b "Belarus profile – Timeline". BBC News. 20 August 2018. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
  8. ^ "Why Don't Belarusians Revolt? | BelarusDigest". Archived from the original on 25 January 2022. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
  9. ^ A 2005 Iryna Khalip interview Archived 16 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  10. ^ "Belarus election ends with violent protests". cbc. 19 December 2010. Retrieved 19 December 2010.
  11. ^ "Belarus: 7 presidential candidates face 15 years". Kyiv Post. 22 December 2010. Retrieved 23 December 2010.
  12. ^ "Хакерская атака главного оппозиционного сайта Белоруссии осуществлялась из Петербурга". Gazeta.ru. 19 December 2010. Retrieved 19 December 2010.
  13. ^ "Facebook, Twitter, YouTube blocked in Minsk". Interfax-Ukraine. 20 December 2010. Retrieved 20 December 2010.
  14. ^ Schwirtz, Michael (21 December 2010). "Clashes in Belarus Show Resilience of Both Sides". The New York Times. Retrieved 23 December 2010.
  15. ^ In Europe's last dictatorship, all opposition is mercilessly crushed. The Independent on 8 March 2011
  16. ^ ["Belarus Passes Law Against Silent Protests". Archived from the original on 14 August 2011. Retrieved 30 July 2011.]
  17. ^ a b c d Makhovsky, Andrei (17 February 2017). "Thousands of Belarussians Take to the Streets to Protest 'Parasite Law'". Reuters.
  18. ^ a b "Spate of Protests Breaks Out in Belarus". Associated Press. 19 February 2017. Archived from the original on 23 February 2017. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
  19. ^ Andrei Sannikov (15 March 2017). "'We are not slaves': Europe's most repressive state is reawakening". The Guardian. Retrieved 15 March 2017.
  20. ^ a b Makhovsky, Andrei (19 February 2017). "Belarus Tax Protests Spread Beyond Capital". Reuters.
  21. ^ "Scores detained after defying Belarus protest ban". Al Jazeera.
  22. ^ "Belarus Protests: Government Defends Mass Arrests". BBC. 26 March 2017.
  23. ^ "'Slipper Revolution' Shakes Belarus | Voice of America – English". www.voanews.com. Retrieved 24 June 2020.
  24. ^ Jones, Mark P (2018). Herron, Erik S; Pekkanen, Robert J; Shugart, Matthew S (eds.). "Presidential and Legislative Elections". The Oxford Handbook of Electoral Systems. doi:10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190258658.001.0001. ISBN 9780190258658. Retrieved 21 May 2020. unanimous agreement among serious scholars that... Lukashenko's 2015 election occurred within an authoritarian context.
  25. ^ "Lukashenka vs. democracy: Where is Belarus heading?". AtlanticCouncil. 10 August 2020. Archived from the original on 12 August 2020. However, the vote was marred by allegations of widespread fraud. These suspicions appeared to be confirmed by data from a limited number of polling stations that broke ranks with the government and identified opposition candidate Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya as the clear winner.
  26. ^ "Belarus election: Exiled leader calls weekend of 'peaceful rallies'". BBC News. 14 August 2020. Retrieved 15 August 2020.
  27. ^ "Belarus opposition candidate declares victory | NHK WORLD-JAPAN News". www3.nhk.or.jp. Archived from the original on 16 August 2020. Retrieved 16 August 2020.
  28. ^ "Ex-Belarusian presidential candidate Tikhanovskaya's HQ starts forming coordination council to ensure transition of power".
  29. ^ "Thousands flood Belarus capital as election protests grow". Associated Press. 20 April 2021.
  30. ^ "Belarus election: How Nexta channel bypassed news blackout". BBC News. 12 August 2020. Retrieved 25 May 2021.
  31. ^ Kazak, Aleksander (30 September 2022). "Ruch „Supraciu" a rządy Aleksandra Łukaszenki – charakterystyka i metody działania". Rocznik Bezpieczeństwa Międzynarodowego (in Polish). 16 (1): 108–132. doi:10.34862/rbm.2022.1.6. ISSN 2450-3436.
  32. ^ "«Супраціў» признали в Беларуси террористической организацией". Зеркало (in Russian). 30 November 2021. Retrieved 6 March 2024.
  33. ^ "Belarusians Protest Russian Invasion Of Ukraine During Vote On Constitutional Changes". RFE/RL. 27 February 2022. Archived from the original on 4 March 2022. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
  34. ^ "На протестах в Беларуси задержали 800 человек" [800 People Detained During Protests In Belarus]. korrespondent.net (in Russian). 28 February 2022. Archived from the original on 28 February 2022. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
  35. ^ "Sabotage Operations Started At Belarusian Railways". charter97.org. Archived from the original on 6 March 2022. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
  36. ^ "There was another attack on the infrastructure of the Belarusian Railway. Large queues at railway stations". belsat.eu. Archived from the original on 6 March 2022. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
  37. ^ The White House (26 March 2022). "Readout of President Biden Call with Opposition Leader Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya of Belarus". The White House. Retrieved 14 December 2023.
  38. ^ Zíta, Martin (14 August 2020). "PM Babiš calls for repeat presidential election in Belarus". Remix.
  39. ^ a b "Baltic States Urge New Election In Belarus, Call For EU Sanctions". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 15 August 2020.
  40. ^ "Doing nothing to help Belarus 'is not an option,' Lithuanian FM tells Euronews". Euronews. 13 August 2020. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
  41. ^ "Białoruś. Premier Mateusz Morawiecki rozmawiał z unijnymi przywódcami". Wirtualna Polska (in Polish). 11 August 2020.
  42. ^ "Moldova va susține mișcarea democratică din Belarus, în frunte cu Svetlana Tihanovskaia. A fost creat un grup parlamentar". 20 October 2022. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
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