2017 Belarusian protests

2017 Belarusian protests
Part of the Belarusian democracy movement
File:Belarus protest.jpg Independence Avenue in Minsk, blocked by riot police (25 March 2017)
Date	17 February 2017 – c. 1 May 2017
Location	Beginning in Minsk, spreading through Belarus
Caused by	Taxation on the unemployed (Decree No. 3)
Goals	Cancellation of Decree No. 3 Alexander Lukashenko's resignation Resignation of the government
Methods	Protests
Status	Ongoing
Parties to the civil conflict
Opposition: United Civic Party BChD People's Assembly Anarchists Government: 14px Ministry of Internal Affairs
Lead figures
Units involved
Number
5000 protesters (At highest point) Unknown
Casualties and losses
Casualties
Detained	>700

A series of street protests against President Alexander Lukashenko broke out in late February 2017. Protesters mobilized against a tax levied against the unemployed in Belarus. Demonstrations and marches have been 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. 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. Roughly 470,000 Belarusians are obliged to pay the tax but only about 10% have since it was issued.

Activities

Approximately 2,500 protesters filled the streets in capital city Minsk on 17 February to protest a policy that required those anyone who works for less than 183 days per year to pay USD$250 for "lost taxes" to help fund welfare policies. (This converts to approximately p.5 million—a half-month's wages.) The law has proven unpopular and has been mocked in the public as the "law against social parasites". On 19 February, another 2,000 demonstrated in the second city of Homieĺ. Both gatherings were peaceful and were not disrupted by police. Smaller demonstrations were held in other cities.

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

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.

Timeline of the events

19 February

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

26 February

• Brest – a rally, about 300 participants.
• Baranovichi – a rally, about 300 participants.
• Babruysk – gathered about 1,500 protesters.
• Vitebsk – more than 2,000 protesters gathered near Pieramohi Square. This is significantly more than last week's stock. After half an hour, protesters rallying the Pieramohi moved towards Svabody Square (the Liberation Square), where the city executive committee and the regional executive committee are located. A group of provocateurs with closed faces shouted "Glory of Russia" on Svabody Square, but people did not support them, and provocateurs left the action. After a small rally, the protest rally ended.

5 March

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

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

11 March

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

12 March

• Brest – on the square came out 200 people
• Babruysk – about 700 protesters gathered at Pieramohi square, the rally was spontaneous, none of the opposition leaders were present.
• Orsha the number of people gathered exceeded 1,000 people. Before the rally, journalists were detained to check documents
• Rahachow participants about 400. Liders at the rally was not. People discussed the current government and whether there is an alternative to it, complained about the lack of work.

15 March

• Mogilev – More than 500 residents of Mogilev went to protest

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

• Minsk – From the cinema "Kastryčnik" to Banhalor Square and Družby narodaŭ Park passed from 1.5 to 4.5 thousand people, Protesters chant "Long Live Belarus!", "No to Decree No.3 – Lukashenka go away!"

About 40 people were detained in Minsk.

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

25 March

File:Marš aburanych bielarusaŭ, Miensk 02.17.2017.jpg

Minsk, Kartryčnickaja plošča, 17 February

• Minsk – Several thousand people went to protest

1 May

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

See also

• 2017 Romanian protests
• 2017 Russian protests
• Euromaidan