2017 Belarusian protests

Last updated
2017 Belarusian protests
Part of the Belarusian democracy movement
Belarus protest.jpg
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.

Contents

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

26 February

5 March

The mayor of Brest met with the protesters.

10 March

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

11 March

12 March

15 March

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

About 40 people were detained in Minsk. [27]

25 March

Minsk, Kartrycnickaja plosca, 17 February Mars aburanych bielarusau, Miensk 02.17.2017.jpg
Minsk, Kartryčnickaja plošča, 17 February

1 May

See also

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References

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