2017 Belarusian protests
Part of the Belarusian democracy movement
Independence Avenue in Minsk, blocked by riot police
(25 March 2017)
Date17 February [1] – c. 1 May 2017
Location
Beginning in Minsk, spreading through Belarus, including Gomel, Mogilev, Vitebsk, Grodno and Brest.
Caused by
  • Taxation on the unemployed (Decree No. 3)
  • Economic and social policies of the government
Goals
Methods
StatusEnded
Parties
Number
5000 protesters (At highest point)
Total number estimated 25,000–40,000
Unknown
Casualties
Detained>700[3]

The 2017 Belarusian protests were a series of demonstrations and street protests against President Alexander Lukashenko that broke out in late February 2017. Protesters mobilized against a tax levied against the unemployed in Belarus. Demonstrations and marches were held in sites throughout the country with sizes of several hundred to several thousand gathering at a given time.

Context

Belarus has been described for several years as Europe's "last dictatorship" with no genuine political opposition against Lukashenko possible.[4] Previous protests in 2011 and 2015 resulted in mass arrests. The country has also been in an economic recession since 2015 due to falling gasoline prices and that year a law was passed taxing the unemployed.[1] Roughly 470,000 Belarusians are obliged to pay the tax but only about 10% have since it was issued.[1]

Activities

Approximately 2,500 protesters[5] filled the streets in Minsk on 17 February to protest a policy that required anyone who works for less than 183 days[6] per year to pay US$250 for "lost taxes" to help fund welfare policies.[7] This converts to approximately 5 million Belarusian rubles.[1] The law has proven unpopular and has been mocked in the public as the "law against social parasites".[1] On 19 February, another 2,000 demonstrated in the second city of Gomel.[7] Both gatherings were unauthorized but were not disrupted by authorities. Smaller demonstrations were held in other cities.[8]

On 25 March, opposition leader Vladimir Nekliayev, who was set to speak at the main protest, was stopped in the morning on his way to Minsk, his wife said.[9]

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.[10]

Timeline of the events

19 February

  • Brest – a rally, about 100 protesters.[11]
  • Gomel – procession (from 1,500 to 3,000 people)
  • Grodno – a few dozen people, march to the Municipal Administration[12]
  • Vitebsk – 250 people[13]
  • Mogilev – meeting, 200 people[14]

26 February

  • Brest – a rally, about 300 participants.
  • Baranovichi – a rally, about 300 participants.
  • Babruysk – gathered about 1,500 protesters.[15]

5 March

  • Brest – Rally and procession from 1,000 to 2,000 people.[16]

The mayor of Brest met with the protesters.

10 March

  • Maladzyechna – a rally in the Central Square, speeches, the adoption of a resolution and the procession to the tax service. The number of people gathered from 500 to 1,000 people.

After the rally, the organizers received 15 days of arrest.[17]

11 March

  • In Pinsk 350 to 400 people gathered in the square.[18]

12 March

  • Brest – on the square came out 200 people [19]
  • Babruysk – about 700 protesters gathered at Pieramohi square. The rally was spontaneous, none of the opposition leaders were present.[20][21][22]
  • Orsha - the number of people gathered exceeded 1,000 people. Before the rally, journalists were detained to check documents [23]
  • Rahachow - about 400 participants. People discussed the current government and whether there is an alternative to it, and complained about the lack of work.[24]

15 March

  • Mogilev – More than 500 residents of Mogilev went to protest [25]

To the protesting crowd came member of parliament Ihar Marzaliuk, five people arrested [26]

About 40 people were detained in Minsk.[27]

  • Grodno – The meeting began with 300 protesters.[28] At the end of the protest on the square there were 1,000 protesters.[29][30]

25 March

Minsk, Kartryčnickaja plošča, 17 February
  • Minsk – Several thousand people went to protest[31]

1 May

  • Minsk – 400 people came to a banned protest despite the jailing of Mikola Statkevich, opposition leader and main organizer of the event.[32]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Makhovsky, Andrei (17 February 2017). "Thousands of Belarussians Take to the Streets to Protest 'Parasite Law'". Reuters.
  2. ↑ Rudnik, Alesia (17 March 2017). "Anarchists, the avangarde of social protests in Belarus". Belarus Digest. Archived from the original on 16 April 2018. Retrieved 15 April 2018.
  3. ↑ Cпіс ахвяраў пераследу за акцыі грамадзянскага і сацыяльнага пратэсту: на 27 сакавіка – больш за 700 чалавек
  4. ↑ Andrew Osborn (20 December 2010). "Alexander Lukashenko: 'Europe's Last Dictator'". The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 17 January 2012.
  5. ↑ "Spate of Protests Breaks Out in Belarus". Associated Press. 19 February 2017. Archived from the original on 23 February 2017. Retrieved 20 February 2017.
  6. ↑ Andrei Sannikov (15 March 2017). "'We are not slaves': Europe's most repressive state is reawakening". The Guardian. Retrieved 15 March 2017.
  7. 1 2 Makhovsky, Andrei (19 February 2017). "Belarus Tax Protests Spread Beyond Capital". Reuters.
  8. ↑ "Spate of Protests Breaks out in Belarus". The News & Observer. 19 February 2017. Archived from the original on 21 February 2017.
  9. ↑ "Scores detained after defying Belarus protest ban". Al Jazeera.
  10. ↑ "Belarus Protests: Government Defends Mass Arrests". BBC. 26 March 2017.
  11. ↑ "В Бресте активисты кампании "За наш город" провели акцию за отмену декрета "о тунеядцах"". News.tut.by. Archived from the original on 22 February 2017. Retrieved 14 March 2017.
  12. ↑ "UPD."Марш рассерженных белорусов": в Гродно на акции против декрета о тунеядцах собралось несколько десятков человек". 015.by. Archived from the original on 22 February 2017. Retrieved 14 March 2017.
  13. ↑ ""Ситуация касается каждой семьи". Около 250 витеблян протестовали против налога на тунеядство". News.tut.by. Archived from the original on 22 February 2017. Retrieved 14 March 2017.
  14. ↑ "В областных центрах Беларуси прошли митинги против налога на тунеядство — Барановичи. Intex-press — Новости Барановичского региона". Intex-press.by. Archived from the original on 21 February 2017. Retrieved 14 March 2017.
  15. ↑ "Тысячи людей вышли на улицы в Витебске и Бобруйске". Наша Ніва (in Russian). Retrieved 26 February 2017.
  16. ↑ "В Бресте проходит акция против налога на "тунеядство" – РИА Новости, 05.03.2017". Ria.ru. 5 March 2017. Retrieved 14 March 2017.
  17. ↑ "Лебедько, Рымашевский и Губаревич получили по 15 суток за организацию "Марша нетунеядцев"". News.tut.by. Archived from the original on 11 March 2017. Retrieved 14 March 2017.
  18. ↑ "В Пинске на "Марш нетунеядцев" собралось более 400 человек :: Сильные Новости — Гомель сегодня". Gomel.today. Retrieved 14 March 2017.
  19. ↑ "В регионах снова прошли "Марши нетунеядцев". Не обошлось без задержаний". News.tut.by. Archived from the original on 13 March 2017. Retrieved 14 March 2017.
  20. ↑ "В Бобруйске среди ночи милиция задержала четырех человек". Belaruspartisan.org. Archived from the original on 13 March 2017. Retrieved 14 March 2017.
  21. ↑ Радыё Свабода (12 March 2017). "В Бобруйске проходит "Марш нетунеядцев"". Archived from the original on 12 March 2017. Retrieved 12 March 2017.
  22. ↑ Charter97.org (12 March 2017). "Жители Бобруйска: "Лукашенко, уходи! Нет тебе больше места среди народа!"". Retrieved 12 March 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  23. ↑ "Выступы за адмену дэкрэта №3 перараслі ў дэманстрацыі за адстаўку Лукашэнкі: 18 чалавек затрымана ў Оршы". Nn.by. Retrieved 14 March 2017.
  24. ↑ Новости. "В регионах снова прошли "Марши нетунеядцев". Не обошлось без задержаний". News.tut.by. Archived from the original on 13 March 2017. Retrieved 14 March 2017.
  25. 1 2 "Жители Могилева вышли на улицы (Видео, онлайн) – Хартыя'97 :: Навіны з Беларусі – Беларускія навіны – Рэспубліка Беларусь – Мінск". Charter97.org. Retrieved 15 March 2017.
  26. ↑ "В Могилеве прошел "Марш нетунеядцев", к собравшимся вышел депутат Марзалюк". News.tut.by. Archived from the original on 16 March 2017. Retrieved 15 March 2017.
  27. ↑ "После "Маршей нетунеядцев" в Минске, Гродно и Могилеве прошли задержания". News.tut.by. Archived from the original on 16 March 2017. Retrieved 15 March 2017.
  28. ↑ "In Grodno around 300 people for "Not Parasites" march – Belarus, Minsk, Lukashenko, News of Belarus, Live Map of Belarus". Belarus.liveuamap.com. Retrieved 15 March 2017.
  29. ↑ "Гродненчане вышли на марш протеста (видео, онлайн) – Хартыя'97 :: Навіны з Беларусі – Беларускія навіны – Рэспубліка Беларусь – Мінск". Charter97.org. Retrieved 15 March 2017.
  30. ↑ "UPD."Марш рассерженных белорусов": в Гродно на акции против декрета о тунеядцах собралось несколько десятков человек". 015.by. Archived from the original on 22 February 2017. Retrieved 15 March 2017.
  31. ↑ "Hundreds Of People Detained In Minsk". Retrieved 25 March 2017.
  32. ↑ "Belarus protest draws 400 despite main organizer's arrest - ABC News". abcnews.go.com. Archived from the original on 1 May 2017.

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