Tuesday, March 28, 10:30
Hundreds of protesters, journalists and passers-by were arrested on Saturday during the non-violent protests against the regime in Minsk. The arrests are accompanied by severe beatings, tortures, humiliations and house raids. Set up court trials end up in short-term prison sentences for almost everyone arrested. Riot police and military equipment were used to suppress the protests.
It was not only one single demo in Minsk, people are taking the streets all over the country since more than a month. It started with protesting against the so-called unemployment tax, which requires the unemployed people to pay a special tax every year. But it rapidly grew up to the protests demanding to resign the government.
The repressions against anarchists, social activists, opposing politicians, human rights defenders and all the people who fight for change continue since the beginning of the protests – each day the number of the arrested and kidnapped people grows. While most of the people are sentenced by adminstrative law to 12-15 days in prison, some of them are convicted of criminal offenses and are waiting for the “investigations” to finish in the prison of KGB. Their arrests are followed with video stories on the governmental TV where strike-ball guns and fake training grenades are called real arms. Lukashenko justifies his policy of terror with the arguments of ‘preventing Maidan’ in Belarus and with ‘fighting against terrorism’. In reality, the only war that he is waging is the war on the people. The regime is agonizing, unable to fulfill people’s requirements and it’s own obligations, and the only means that remain are endless terror, threats and mass repressions.
On Tuesday we will say no to the unbearable dictatorship and show our rage and solidarity with the arrested comrades and all repressed people in Belarus. Come and join us on the 28th of March at 10.30 a.m. in front of the embassy of Belarus in Berlin (Am Treptower Park 31/32). Banners and posters are welcome. To send our solidary greetings to the comrades when they are released, parts of the rally will be filmed.
Hands off, Lukashenko!