Photo Chronicle
1 September 1991
Lenin Square (today - Independent Square) in Minsk. One of the first rallies organized by the oldest opposition party - the Belarusian Popular Front - in protest against communist putsch in Moscow.
1 October 1991
Deputies of the 12th Supreme Soviet Zenon Poznyak (right) (today - Belarusian Popular Front leader who emigrated from the country for political motives in April 1996) and Alyaksandr Lukashenko (today - President of Belarus) in the parliament.
1 April 1992
Hundreds of thousands of workers stepped out onto Lenin Square (today - Independence Square) to demand a better standard of living.
1 November 1992
Bill Clinton, US President, is on his first and only visit in Belarus. Stanislav Shushkevich, speaker of the Supreme Soviet, is meeting him in the airport. That time Belarus was a parliamentary republic.
1 July 1994
Vyachelslav Kebich, Belarus' prime minister, is cordially greeting his Russian counterpart Victor Chernomyrdin, who is on his official visit in Belarus.
1 May 1995
Belarusian Popular Front members in the 12th Supreme Soviet declared a hunger strike in protest against the referendum on the national symbols. Reportedly, on the evening the protesting MPs were severely beaten and kicked out from the House of Parliament by KGB agents. So far the police have not traced the guilty of the beating.
(c) FOTO IREX/ProMedia
2 May 1995
The May referendum abolished the national historic symbols -the white-red-white flag and "Pagonia" coat of arms. The symbols President Lukashenko proposed do not considerably differ from that of the Soviet era. Therefore, the emblem of the Belarusian Soviet Socialistic Republic, which used to be covered with the coat of arms, now "decorates" the House of Government in Minsk.
1 August 1995
Activists of the Party of Beer-Lovers are holding a radical action protesting against the results of the referendum, which abolished the historic symbols of Belarus. They are setting up a flag of the Belarusian Soviet Socialistic Republic - a prototype of today's flag of Belarus - on a lavatory located near the House of Presidential Administration.
2 August 1995
The subway staff goes on strike in Minsk. The city authorities do not let people into the subway for so-called "technical reasons". Meanwhile, the strikers demand better working conditions and a wage increase. The strike was severely put down, almost all the participants were dismissed.
1 September 1995
The First Congress of Belarusians took place in Minsk. Hundreds of Belarusians came to participate from all over the world. The Congress expressed its mistrust to President Lukashenko and condemned his policy in regard to the Belarusian language and culture. That is why it was actually forbidden.
1 October 1995
Representatives of the Belarusian community in the USA are picketing the Belarus' Embassy in Washington.
2 March 1996
The riot-equipped police are defending the Television Center from demonstrators who demand an access to the television for opposition politicians. This opposition rally took place on Constitution Day and was broken up by the police. This event marked the beginning of the "Hot Spring-96" - the street confrontation between the authorities and freedom-loving citizens. As a result, hundreds of people were beaten, thrown to jail, dismissed from jobs, sent down from universities.
2 April 1996
50 thousand people took part in the Chernobyl march-96 in Minsk. The police provoked a conflict with the demonstrators. As a result, the protesters turned two police cars upside down and moved ahead.
5 April 1996
Near the Orthodox Cathedral in Minsk policemen are barring the way for participants of the opposition Chernobyl march-96. After the march the police arrested several hundred demonstrators charged with hooliganism.
6 April 1996
"Hot" Spring-96. The police are preventing the demonstrators from getting to Independence Square - the central square in Minsk.
1 May 1996
Participants of the Chernobyl march-96 are leaving the prison after a ten-day administrative detention.
1 June 1996
Miners are burying a symbolic coffin featuring "Dictatorship" during a rally dedicated to Independence Day in Soligorsk.
1 August 1996
The Ukrainian citizens - members of the nationalistic organization UNA-UNSO - are being tried in court for taking part in the opposition action "Chernobyl march-96". All of them were found guilty and sentenced to various terms varying from 6 to 30 months of imprisonment.
2 August 1996
Polish "Solidarity" leaders were invited by the independent Belarusian trade unions to visit Belarus. After their meeting with workers at the Minsk Automobile Factory, the Polish activists were charged with allegedly organizing a mass action and deported from the country.
1 September 1996
The Belarusian state authorities closed on August 31 the independent FM station "Radio 101,2" for political motives. Some days after, Radio 101,2 staff held a picket in protest against this act of political censorship.
1 October 1996
To receive a visible approval of the Belarusian people for the upcoming Constitutional referendum, President Lukashenko gathered six thousand delegates in Minsk to participate in the so-called All-Belarusian People's Assembly. The police carefully guarded these so-called "people's representatives". The stand features: "Prosperity to Belarus!"
1 November 1996
The constitutional crisis initiated by President Lukashenko emerged in November 1996 in Belarus. The amendments to the Constitution to be approved on the referendum concentrate the total power in hands of the president. The Supreme Soviet as the highest legislative body attempted to prevent the system of checks and balances from being destroyed and initiated the impeachment procedures. However, President Lukashenko manipulated the results of the plebiscite and ignored the consultative status of the referendum, thus usurping the power in the country. These November days, to harass the MPs adherent to the 1994 Constitution, the executive power employed all possible means of pressure including threats to use violence and evict the MPs from the House of Parliament. At the session the MPs are adopting the decision to watch the House of Parliament at nights.
2 November 1996
Speaker of the Supreme Soviet Semeon Sharetsky with leaders of the Russian Duma Egor Stroev and Gennady Seleznev (from left to right). These Russian politicians and Russian prime minister Victor Chernomyrdin acted as mediators between the president and the parliament with a view to settle down the political crisis in Belarus. However, the agreement achieved with the help of the Russian politicians did not bring any positive results - the Supreme Soviet of the 13th convocation was disbanded.
3 November 1996
Under the President's straight order the police do not let Victor Hanchar, chairman of the Central Electoral Committee, into his office. Thus, the executive power has gained total control over the secret ballot and the referendum results.
4 November 1996
Riot-equipped policemen are barring the way to the demonstrators at the time of the November constitutional crisis. The stand features: "7 days left before the referendum"
5 November 1996
Valentin Agolets, minister of the Interior, are personally giving commends to the police units during an opposition action held at the time of the November constitutional crisis.
9 November 1996
Young Belarusians spoke out their disagreement to introduce new amendments to the 1994 constitution.
10 November 1996
Vasily Bykov, famous Belarusian writer, before the opposition mourning march under the way to Kouropaty-village, where thousands of people opposed to the communist regime were shot down in the 1930-40es. The words on the banner: "Prisoners started their tragic way to Kourapaty from here, NKVD (National Committee of the Interior) headquarters. Remember forever victims of the Bolshevik terror!"
1 December 1996
A subpoena the police handed in to participants of the opposition street actions in the autumn of 1996.
2 December 1996
Representatives of the opposition are picketing the Belarusian Embassy in Moscow.
1 February 1997
Sole proprietors are protesting against the Komarovsjy Market they trade on being moved under state control.
1 March 1997
Policemen are beating up participants of the march dedicated to the 79th anniversary of the Belarusian People's Republic. Several dozens of demonstrators were arrested and beaten that day. Five of them were subsequently sentenced to different terms on probation.
3 April 1997
The police are beating up participants of the opposition action protesting against integration of Belarus and Russia. Policemen severely thrashed and detained several hundreds of people.
5 April 1997
Policemen are beating up a Japanese who turned out to be a chance witness of the break-up of the demonstration in protest against the union of Belarus and Russia.
1 July 1997
Demonstration on the occasion of Independence Day. Policemen are barring the way to the demonstrators in the city center.
2 July 1997
The Belarusian independent journalists are holding an action in support of their colleagues from the Belarusian bureau of the Russian Public Television (RPT) arrested on July 26. The letters demanding their release were submitted to the Belarus' Foreign Ministry, KGB, and Committee on Frontier Troops. 15 representatives of the independent media were arrested during their attempt to submit the letter to the Presidential Administration.
1 September 1997
Pavel Sheremet, executive director of the Russian Public Television bureau in Belarus, is speaking out on the rally in protest against a new law on the press. Recently he has been released from two-month imprisonment he was sentenced to for his profession activity.
3 November 1997
Participants of the "Closed Mouths" march are protesting against restrictions on the freedom of speech in Belarus. A protester's mouthband features "Svaboda" -- the title of the oldest opposition newspaper.
7 November 1997
A picket by readers of the oldest opposition newspaper "Svaboda" closed by the authorities.the picketers are holding up the banners with the words: "Freedom to Svaboda!", Freedom of Press to Belarus!", "Long Life Belarus! Long Life Svaboda!"
1 February 1998
Two Youth Front members were brought to court and charged with drawing anti-presidential graffiti on walls in Stolbcy-town. Underage Vadim Labkovich (on left) was sentenced to 18 months on probation. Before, he had spent six months in pre-trial detention. His friend - Aleksei Shydlousky (on right) - was sentenced to 18-month imprisonment and served out his entire term in prison.
(c) FOTO IREX/ProMedia
3 February 1998
One of the first pickets organized in support of the Belarusian political prisoners in 1998. Totally more than 200 similar actions were held that year in Belarus.
(c) FOTO IREX/ProMedia
3 April 1998
On blocking the way to the demonstrators, the police do not also allow chance passers-by into the center of the city. The situation is similar to those in 1996 and 1997.
(c) FOTO IREX/ProMedia
1 June 1998
The Ambassadors of the Western countries are drinking champagne on the steps near the British Embassy before leaving Belarus. Their departure was the final point in the diplomatic scandal, which emerged after the Ambassadors had been evicted from their Drozdy residences. From left to right - Mr. Bernard Fassier (France), Ms. Jessica Pearce (Great Britain), Mr. Giovanny Cerutti (Italy), Mr. Khorst Wilkenmann (Germany).
(c) FOTO IREX/ProMedia
2 June 1998
Ann Speckhard -- wife of US Ambassador Daniel Speckhard - is walking her dog near the signboard featuring "Residence of President of Republic of Belarus", put just near the entrance to the diplomatic compound, though the diplomats have not yet left it.
(c) FOTO IREX/ProMedia
2 July 1998
Oleg Bebenin (left) and Zmitser Bandarenka, both Charter 97 activists, held on City Day an action to draw attention to the problem of political persecution in Belarus.
(c) FOTO IREX/ProMedia
3 July 1998
Novopolotsk. Funerals of lawyer Aleksei Filipchenko who committed self-immolation in protest against arbitrary actions by the local authorities.
2 September 1998
"Freedom to Shydlousky" is drawn on the prison wall on Volodarsky Street in Minsk. The same graffiti have appeared throughout Belarus all the year round.
(c) FOTO IREX/ProMedia
3 September 1998
The words: "Freedom to Klimov!" on the prison wall on Volodarsky street in Minsk. The similar graffiti have been appearing throughout Belarus since the MP was imprisoned.
(c) FOTO IREX/ProMedia
1 October 1998
The broken monument "To Belarusian Martyrs" in Kouropaty, where thousands of those opposed to the Bolshevik regime were shot down in the 1930-40es. Today's Belarusian authorities justify that repression and try to prove that the human remains belong to victims of the German terror during the World War II.
(c) FOTO IREX/ProMedia
3 November 1998
The action organized by the Free Trade Union to protest against a sharp decline in the standards of living, the working class has faced. The trade unions leaders were then convicted of submitting to the Presidential Administration the letter listing demands to improve living and working conditions.
1 December 1998
A picket of solidarity with the Belarusian political prisoners was held in Riga on the anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
(c) FOTO IREX/ProMedia
3 December 1998
The incompetent economic policy has brought about the severe crisis that makes people sweep up food products and basic good from counters in shop and markets. Citizens of Belarus form long queues to buy some butter, eggs and diary products.
(c) FOTO IREX/ProMedia
1 January 1999
Ten thousand Belarusian workers stepped out on the streets in Minsk with economic, social and political demands.
(c) FOTO IREX/ProMedia
1 February 1999
The Belarusian democratic community responded to the upcoming threat of the Russian fascism by the wide campaign against the brown beast. The anti-fascist march that took place in Minsk was one of its stages. This action was broadcast live on our Web-site.
(c) FOTO IREX/ProMedia
2 February 1999
The police broke a car window while arresting Victor Gonchar, chairperson of the Central Electoral Commission. Minsk.
(c) FOTO IREX/ProMedia
30 March 1999
More than one hundred white-red-white flags were set to dwelling houses and administrative building at night of March 30. Belarusian patriot did not spare either the editorial office of the Vecherni Minsk [Evening Minsk] or the Soviet district executive committee located in the very center of Minsk.
1 April 1999
The Belarusian Embassy was picketed on April 1 in Paris. The picketing was organized by French youth associations opposed to the Lukashenko's policy. For two hours the action was accompanied with roar of a siren and shouting of the slogans: "Belarus to Europe!", "Long Life, Our Motherland! Freedom! Down with Lukashenko!" and other slogans in French. The picketers passed out leaflets and Charter 97 bulletins. More photos
22 April 1999
The Belarusian Embassy in Brussels (Belgium) was picketed on April 22. The picket was organized by the Charter 97's liaison office in Brussels and the IFIAS Institute. The picketers demanded from the Belarusian authorities to release political prisoners - Mikhail Chigir, Andrei Klimov and Vladimir Koudinov, to respect human rights and to establish free and democratic conditions for the presidential elections. See more pictures from the picket.
29 April 1999
Supposed participants of the rally in Grodno. The unauthorized mourning torch rally was held on April 25 and dedicated to 13th anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster. The protesters denied ceasing the action and resist the police. To break up the demonstration the police used cudgels, tear gas and police-vans. OMON (police department for special missions) soldiers dispersed the protesters with rifle butts. About 10 participants were sentenced to several days of arrest.
The picture was received anonymously.
11 May 1999
The Belarusian Embassy in Bonn was picketed May 11 by the staff of Charter 97's Brussels office.
The picketers demanded that the Belarusian authorities cease a repression campaign in Belarus and open up a polling station in the Belarusian Embassy in Germany. During the picket there were passed out bulletins with information on the presidential elections in Belarus
See some more pictures from the picket
12 May 1999
The picketers are protesting against political prisoners and repressed people. This picket starts another campaign of protest actions.
14 May 1999
Charter 97's Brussels office is picketing the Belarusian Embassy in Brussels. More than 30 Belarusians arrived at Brussels from different parts of Brussels - Antwerp, Gent, Namur, Louven - to participate in the largest-ever abroad action. The picketers demanded to open up a polling station inside the Embassy on May 16. The petition also stated the demand to release political prisoners and to halt persecution in Belarus. See more pictures from the picket.
16 May 1999
The opposition presidential election campaign is near to its end. May 16th is the polling day. The lady is getting off the old bus housing a polling station inside. Minsk.
(c) FOTO IREX/ProMedia
4 June 1999
Children of the Belarusian political prisoners.
Klimova Elena, 4 years old, daughter of Supreme Soviet deputy Andrei Klimov, who has been kept in detention for 16 months on charges of committing economic crimes. The real reason for Klimov's arrest - political struggle with the president.
Sivchik Vitovt, 3 years old, son of Viacheslav Sivchik, accused of crimes and kept in custody in 1996, numerously subject to administrative arrests for participating in demonstrations.
Lysko Anton, 7 years old, son of Vladimir Lysko, who received 2 years of labor colony in 1997 for having taken part in a demonstration.
Razumovich Ksenia, 15 years old, daughter of Supreme Soviet deputy Andrei Klimov.
Klimov Stanislav, 9 years old, son of Supreme Soviet deputy Andrei Klimov.
Labkovich Valerii, 11 years old, brother of Vladimir Labkovich, a 19 year old BPF activist, in detention from August 1997 till February 1998 for an unauthorized rally.
Kiiko Natasha, 18 years old, daughter of Grygory Kiiko, received 2 years of labor colony for participation in a demonstration.
Koudinova Natasha, 17 years old, daughter of Supreme Soviet deputy Vladimir Koudinov, accused of economic crimes and in jail for 2 years now. Real motivation for his arrest - political. He signed the impeachment to the president.
The Organizing Committee of the Charter 97 civil initiative has applied to the Polish people to host children of the Belarusian political prisoners for summer holidays.
11 June 1999
Vladimir Koudinov, deputy of the Supreme Soviet and political prisoner, was 40. His birthday was marked by a protest action in which Koudinov's friends and relatives, the speaker and deputies of the Supreme Soviet took part. Zoya Koudinova, the deputy's daughter, played some musical pieces of art in the honor of her farther.
12 June 1999
One of our visitors sent us a very poignant picture: "I send you this photo, taken on 12.06.99 in a private settlement of Minsk. When I saw this "scenery", I was shocked how it fits into a present-day situation in the country.
30 June 1999
20 July 1999
Between 11a.m. and 1 p.m. Brussels representation of Charter'97 staged its picket opposite Belarusian embassy. Around 25 people took part there - for the most part these were Belarusian political refugees, having applied for asylum in Belgium. The picket was part of the program targeted at getting Lukashenko off his post by the official end of his mandate. Among many banners some need special mention: 'Stop political killings in Belarus', 'No - to Russian occupation', 'Luka, learn to count: 1994+5=1999'. Slogans 'Criminal, go to jail!', 'Freedom to political prisoners' and similar were cried out loud.
21 July 1999
Painter Alexander Pushkin brought a wheelbarrow full of shit to the entrance of president's administration. He was also armed with attributes of Lukashenko's ruling: red-green flag, president's portrait, restored Soviet coat of arms and stuff. The contents of the barrow were unloaded a few meters before the doors. None of the policemen, standing on watch at the residence, interfered. Pushkin threw Lukashenko's portrait on top of the shit and with the words "We do to you as you do to us!" pierced the portrait with pitchfork. Only then did the guards arrest Pushkin, carrying him away to police station.
21 July 1999
Police blocks the way to dissenters, who organized mass merry-making in Minsk, dedicated to the end the of Lukashenko's tenure in office. Around 5-6 thousand people took part in the action.
(c) FOTO IREX/ProMedia
31 August 1999
MARCH OF FREEDOM will happen July 17 in Minsk. New-wave politicians joined their efforts to attack the regime this autumn.
MEETING PARTICIPANTS:
Ales Belyatsky - Chairman of human rights center "Vesna-96", manager of a group of human rights experts at OSCE-initiated talks between opposition forces and the executive.
37 years of age, married, got a son.
Dmitry Bondarenko - member of the organizing committee of Charter'97 civil initiative, member of Coordination Council of Democratic Forces.
35 years old, married, has a daughter.
Vintsuk Vyachorka - Vice Chair of Belarusian Popular Front "Adradjenne" (Renaissance), leader of a Working Group to the NGO Assembly.
38 years, married, three kids
Pavel Daneiko - Supreme Soviet deputy, member of the Political Council of the United Civil Party.
38 years, married, three kids.
Viktor Ivashkevich - Vice President of the Belarusian Congress of Democratic Trade Unions.
40 years, married, a son.
Nikolai Statkevich - Leader of social democrats (party "Narodnaya Gramada" Chair), President of the East-European Social Democratic Forum, Chairman of the Coordination Council of Democratic Forces of Belarus.
43 years old, married, two children
17 October 1999
The most massive protest called March of Freedom was held in Minsk. Belarus opposition have not seen such an action in 3 years. The rest of the shots are here.
24 November 1999
Disobedience to the regime was expressed by burning candles, stuck into plastic bottles. One of the young guys, wearing scarf around his face, said that it was symbolizing "Molotov's cocktail" (petrol bombs), which will bring down the present regime. The dissenters organized a line along Skarina Ave, standing all the way from Yakub Kolas square to Oktyabr movie theatre. After the thing was over, the crowd started to disperse, putting candles into the snowdrifts.
26 November 1999
A picket opposite Belarusian embassy was staged in Ottawa. Picketers protested against unification of Russia and Belarus.
The participants were members of Belarusian diaspora in Canada, coming from Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa. In course of the picket the embassy personnel were handed in a petition, condemning the policy of the illegitimate government and president of the Republic of Belarus.
13 December 1999
Pickets against unification between Russia and Belarus were held in Prague. The protests were staged by the Belarusian community in the Czech Republic and Belarusian center in Prague. A few dozen representatives of these NGOs, alongside with participants of the Kind Revolution of 1989 in Czechoslovakia, picketed the Russian embassy and protested in the downtown, on Vatslav square. Among the picketers there was Vatslav Troyan - an ideologist of Czech Charter-77 initiative, who had called upon his countrymen to support Belarusian democracy.
18 January 2000
Press-conference of the leaders of democratic parties, movements and trade unions - so-called "new-wave" politicians - was held January 18 in Minsk.
The council, having consisted of 7 persons before the first Freedom March, has now grown to 8 - with Alexander Dobrovolsky also receiving the permanent membership. It's no wonder, in light of the forthcoming consolidation of the youth leaders in their activities. And it is only the beginning.
The only person who had failed to come to the meeting was Ales Belyatsky, who had a serious excuse for the truancy.
From right to left:
Pavel Daneiko.
An author of the economic reform's concept, director of the Institute of privatization and management.
Alexander Dobrovolsky.
Deputy Chair of the United Civil Party, once a deputy of the first democratically elected Supreme Soviet of the USSR, member of the Interregional group of MPs.
Vintsuk Vyachorka.
Participant of the National Resistance Movement since 1979.
Nikolai Statkevich.
An army officer, founder and leader of the Belarusian Association of soldiers; one of the most active participants and organizers of street protests.
Viktor Ivashkevich.
Editor-in-chief of many Belarusian independent periodicals; one of the forefathers of the national underground press.
Dmitry Bondarenko.
Initiator of Charter'97 movement; organizer of mass dissents in contemporary Belarus. Dmitry is a University of Athletics' graduate.
Anatoly Lebedko.
Deputy Chair of the Supreme Soviet; got 2 University diplomas; one of the youngest Supreme Soviet political figures.
All the participants of the press-conference were subject to tight pressure exerted by the authorities. They all have gone through arrests, fines and reprimands. Many of them faced criminal persecution.
10 February 2000
Unsanctioned picket opposite Russian embassy in Minsk. The action was launched by the two activists of the United Civil Party Petr Klikoushin and Lyavon Malakhov. They stood by the Russian embassy holding up banners 'Poutin - hands off Chechnya!' and 'No - to union with imperial Russia!'. The picketing lasted for less than five minutes, after which the law-enforcers approached the activists and attempted to detain them. Then, the picketers took out Russian flag, threw it on the ground and started trampling on it. As a result, both were carried away to the Central police department and later faced reprimands upon decision of the Central Minsk court.
9 March 2000
A series of pickets is being held in Minsk in support of the talks and Freedom March-2. Each day on the Bangalor square one is sure to get a free of charge copy of the 'Nasha Svaboda' newspaper along with leaflets, containing information on tasks and goals of 'Spring-2000' political campaign. The pickets were organized by the activists of Charter'97 and United Civil Party.
15 March 2000
The biggest opposition action of protest in a few years - Freedom March-2 - was held in the Belarusian capital March 15. The rest of the shots are here.
25 March 2000
Over 20 people from Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa gathered by the Belarusian embassy in Ottawa for a picket of solidarity with March 25 protests in Minsk, Kiev, Warsaw, Brussels, New York and Prague.
25 March 2000
An action of solidarity was staged in front of the Belarusian embassy in Washington D.C. It reportedly attracted over one hundred participants. They initiated a little march around the embassy building, singing songs and shouting their slogans. In 2,5 hours the picketers got on the bus and set off to the embassy of Russian federation. There, the floor was given to the native Belarusians: doctor Yan Zaprudnik, Anton Shukeloits, Vitaliy Zaika and others. Photo - Ales Bogdanovich.
25 March 2000
Police carried out mass arrests of the participants of the Day of Freedom rally. Click HERE for the detailed photo coverage.
26 April 2000
Chernobyl Shlyach-2000 rocked the Belarusian capital, becoming the most massive action of Belarus democratic forces in recent years. Over 40 thousand dissenters took to the streets that day. See the rest of the pictures HERE.
2 May 2000
Five correspondents of the Grodno newspaper 'Reporter' got arrested May 2 by the law-enforcers for organizing a picket-line in front of the local city council. The journalists went for a protest because the authorities, under various insignificant reasons, refuse to register their periodical. Yesterday the journalists undertook a desperate step - headed by their editor Andjei Pisalnik they, having tied each other with ropes and glued their mouths with scotch, approached the building of the Grodno city council. The words on the journalists' T-shirts said the following: Why don't the authorities like me?, If you are aware of facts of the abuse of power and bribery among the officials, call 'The Reporter' at 44-61-22, I wanna make friends with the mayor, but he doesn't. 40 minutes after the start of the action its participants were arrested and driven to the Leninsky police station.
9 May 2000
A military parade took place in Minsk. During Lukashenko's rule this became the real ill-practice. It seems as if the head of state felt nostalgic about the games he played when a child with toy soldiers and cars. Apart from the tanks and rockets, they presented to the public tractors and saucepans. As for the march of sportsmen it reminded of the Stalinist times, when similar actions enjoyed wide popularity among the communist rulers. According to official estimations, the whole thing cost around 12 million USD. Over 2 thousand police were guarding Lukashenko on that day. See the rest of the pictures HERE.
25 August 2000
"Boycott" graffiti covered the Minsk walls within the framework of a campaign of the united democratic opposition "BOYCOTT-2000", calling on people to abstain from participation in the "elections into the house of representatives".
Photo Irex ProMedia
12 September 2000
The authorities erected a concrete fence all around Yakub Kolas square for alleged construction works. According to unverified information, the fence appeared ahead autumn series of actions, which traditionally start from the Yakub Kolas square. Overnight September 10-11 this fence was covered with calls to boycott the parliamentary elections.
29 September 2000
1 October 2000
Around 15 thousand Minsk residents assembled and marched along the capital's streets, protesting against the electoral farce, wrongly named by the Belarusian authorities as "October 15 parliamentary elections". The March was calm and peaceful, as planned by its organizers - the recent session of the Coordination Council of democratic forces confirmed the peaceful course of the rally. The common decision of the opposition leaders was supported by the dissenters.
The rest of the pictures HERE
29 December 2000
For the very first time in its history our newspaper is published with empty spaces. All articles of the satirical section "Stinger" were prepared in good time for the printing but the authorities interfered with the process before it ever saw light.
"Magic" press staffer told us that December 28 morning the State Committee for Press officials called for the director of the company and complained about his publishing of the first issue of "Stinger" last week. It's hard to say what argumentation they used but this time the press categorically refused to print the newspaper with the "Stinger" section on its pages. Thus, the press became our sensor.
6 March 2001
In order to remind the citizens about mass disappearances of people in their country. Young men and ladies were holding portraits of the missing ones - Yuri Zakharenko, Viktor Gonchar, Anatoly Krasovsky, Dmitry Zavadsky and also Gennady Karpenko, who died under mysterious circumstances. Live chain spread along the Skarina prospect - from Oktyabrskaya to the Independence squares. The action lasted for half an hour, attracting 120 people with "ZUBR" emblem and tags "Honor! Motherland! Svaboda" pinned to their clothes. The rest of the pictures HERE.
25 March 2001
A few dozen protesters were arrested in central Minsk, following the Freedom Day mass festivities. One thing was real unprecedented - mass arrests were orchestrated under the personal supervision of the country's Interior Minister Vladimir Naumov. The authorities again manifest their fear of the traditional mass dissent. According to the journalists' calculations there were 2-3 law-enforcers per one participant. The rest of the pictures HERE.
25 March 2001
On March 25 the Belarusian diaspora in Washington picketed the embassy of Belarus. 100 Belarusians from New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts and Washington states spent two hours in front of the embassy raising white-red-white flags, shouting in Belarusian and English: "Lukashenko, Step Down!", "Belarus - yes, Lukashenko -no way!", "Long Live Belarus!". The rest of the pictures HERE.
21 April 2001
ZUBR movement action "Ultimate Diagnosis" took place on April 21 in the Gorky park of Minsk. In course of the rally police captured some 35 ZUBR activists, including the under-age fellows. Detentions were accompanied by mass beatings of the protesters, who were then taken to the pre-trial detention ward. The rest of the pictures here.
18 May 2001
Action on cleaning the city walls from cynic and dirty inscriptions was carried out by Minsk ZUBRs. Let us remind you, that two months before the activists covered the "Atlant" fridge-making company's wall with questions about the destiny of the missing ones. Afterwards, their writings were all whitewashed and there appeared words of a different content up there - some BPSM patriots spay painted a red-green flag. ZUBRs determined to rid the city of the weird picture.. You may find the rest of the snapshots here.
20 May 2001
On May 20, 2001 ZUBR movement ran another of its protest actions in Minsk - "Here we come!". 900 ZUBR activists marched along the Skarina prospect towards the Academy of sciences and the Independence square. The onlookers were greatly impressed by the decisiveness of nine hundred calmly rallying ZUBRs. The people were confused, having no idea what was going on, but their attitude remained very friendly and polite. The demonstration was carried out on high organizational level and struck the eye by its manifestation of amazing tranquility and power. You may find the rest of the snapshots here.
13 June 2001
14 June 2001
Employees of the Belarusian state procuracy Dmitry Petrushkevich and Oleg Sluchek e-mailed to the Belarusian media photo copies of some documents from Zavadsky’s case. Three photos were mailed to us: 1 – general picture of case files, 2 – investigator’s ruling to launch expertise to define the origin of biological secretions on the spade, found in a car trunk of a suspected abductor of Zavadsky Ignatovich, 3 – experts’ conclusion, reading that the biological stains indeed belong to Dmitry Zavadsky. Thus, the procuracy staffers proved their words about having at their disposal the case materials. View the photo copies of these documents: 1, 2, 3
3 July 2001
200 ZUBR activists are right now marching along the emptied Skarina prospect. The prospect was cleared from strolling masses before the presidential relay race. The walkers were ousted to the sidewalks, while ZUBRs easily occupied the street. Before the eyes of dozen thousand marveled folks they marched all the way from the Oktyabrskaya towards the Independence square, shouting “Time to choose!”, “Long live Belarus!” and “Get away the fool!”.You may find the rest of the snapshots here.
19 July 2001
27 July 2001
A significant protest on Independence Day was held in Minsk by ZUBR resistance movement. At 12 o’clock on the Victory Square out of the blue several hundreds of guys with ZUBR logo T-shirts showed. They formed up in two lines along the Eternal Fire and laid white-red-white wreaths and many other flowers to the monument dedicated to the liberation of Belarus from fascist invaders. A column of five hundred ZUBRs headed down the sidewalks towards the Oktyabrskaya Square. After the police blocked their way, ZUBRs sat on the ground and took out photographs of the renowned figures disappeared in Belarus. During the protest rally about two dozens of people were detained. You may find the rest of the snapshots here.
22 August 2001
Over 500 people, worried about the destiny of the disappeared, deceased under dubious circumstances and imprisoned opponents of the ruling regime, surrounded into a circle Lukashenko’s residence on Karl Marx street 38. The people were raising portraits of Yuri Zakharenko, Viktor Gonchar, Anatoly Krasovsky, Dmitry Zavadsky, Anatoly Maisenya, Valery Schukin and Andrei Klimov. The action attracted relatives of the repressed politicians: their wives, mothers and children. Earlier in the day there emerged fresh evidence, implicating top brass in human killings – confinement center #1 director colonel Oleg Alkaev stated that the abductions of opposition members had been orchestrated by SOBR special police unit. The people demanded that Alexander Lukashenko react on the information, voiced by Alkaev and others. For more than one hour they stayed across the street from the residence but nobody from the Administration came out to talk to them. You may find the rest of the snapshots here.
28 August 2001
Ahead of the upcoming elections in Belarus, Amnesty-VU has taken the opportunity to ask new students at the Free University to express solidarity with democratic forces in Belarus. Amnesty-VU is the studentgroup of Amnesty International, based on the Free University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands. The new students were photographed with a sign, saying "Free elections in Belarus", thus expressing their concerns about the disputed elections in Belarus. With this initiative the university freshmen want to contribute to fair and free elections on the 9th of September in Belarus. You may find the rest of the snapshots here.
29 August 2001
9 September 2001
Despite cold rain around 3 thousand protesters took on September 9 to the Oktyabrskaya square of Minsk. Citizens of Europe’s last autocratic country were shouting “Freedom!” and “Long Live Belarus!” They were few, at least not as many as some expected, but they turned out to be the most courageous, the most united and the most faithful to their homeland people. Something that was going on in Belarus that night was supposed to rock not only ZUBR movement, whose activists were the only ones to have kept their word and come to the Oktyabrskaya square of Minsk in order to protest again lawlessness, which happened at the country’s precincts September 9. Threatening the observers, rigging the ballot sheets, closing down electoral stations on the voting day, raiding the offices of opposition parties and independent newspapers, arresting opposition activists and obstructing access to Internet and phone communications – is just a small glimpse at all violations, that took place during presidential elections. Unwilling to give up and entrust their future into the hands of dictator, who uses his country as a polygon for his insatiable ambitions, overnight Sept. 9-10 ZUBR activists stormed the Palace of trade unions and seized it after a short clash with the guards. Following a sleepless night, full of vain hopes and expectations, these people left the Palace. They were the last people to leave the battlefield, while the candidate from the united opposition, in whom they placed all their hopes, hastened to leave it first. You may find the rest of the snapshots here.
9 November 2001
The Kuropaty defenders keep resisting police attempts to get the place cleared for the construction works. Over the past four days hundreds of Minskers visited the site, indignant with the barbarity of the authorities, which ruled to lay the ring road across the cemetery. In response, the government dispatched there riot police units to suppress the protest moods. The cruelest beating occurred in Kuropaty on November 8. Over two hundred riot police officers beat old people, women and teenagers with rubber clubs, heavy military boots, dragged them on the ground, threw down into the mud and again brutally beat… The police acted as real fascists: they beat everyone, including young ladies and children. Those who fell on the ground were heavily kicked. Nonetheless, a few guys rested on the road, yelling: “Fascists” at the attackers. During the dispersal the law-enforcers applied tear gas “Cheremukha” against the crowd. You may find the rest of the snapshots here.
19 December 2001
Fourth National Award For Human Rights Protection was presented today by the press center of Charter’97. Kurapaty defenders, who have spent several months by the burial place of thousands of Stalin era victims and who, day and night, stopped those who wanted to bulldoze the sacred place, got the award for personal courage. The award for a noble act in the area of human rights protection was presented to Zinaida Bandarenka, the National Artist of Belarus. In spite of intimidation of the regime she, the most famous TV newscaster of the country, took an active part in the election campaign of the single oppositional candidate in recent vote. Marina Koktysh, reporter of the independent newspaper “Narodnaya Volya”, was awarded Charter’97 prize for the best coverage of the theme of the missing prominent persons in Belarus in her series of articles. You may find the rest of the snapshots here.
19 April 2002
Over a hundred were arrested and beaten up by POLICE in central Minsk during the social action “Can’t Live Like That Anymore!”. Among the VICTIMS – WORLD-KNOWN FILMMAKER Yuri Khaschevatsky, professor Mikola Savitsky, journalist Valery Schukin, Charter’97 journalist Natalya Radina. The latter reports from the Sovietsky police station that 102 protesters are still being beaten by police in custody. Two people were carried away on ambulance with broken ribs and brain concussion. You may find the rest of the snapshots here.
26 April 2002
Around three thousand took part in the traditional opposition action “Chernobyl Shlyach”, marking the 16th anniversary since the Chernobyl explosion. A meeting and a mourning procession were of exclusively peaceful character. You may find the rest of the snapshots here.
17 November 2002
In Minsk hosted a rally and a meeting, dedicated to the protection of the Belarusian sovereignty. The action, initiated by BPF 'Adradjenne', Young Front and the Belarusian Liberty Party, was carried out under the slogans 'For independence!', 'Belarusian nation is the owner of its own country', 'For decent life', 'Belarus – into Europe!' 1,5 thousand people walked all the way from the Yakub Kolas square along the Skarina prospect towards the National Academy of sciences, near which they held their meeting. According to one of the action’s organizers, deputy chairman of the BPF party Viktor Ivashkevich, November 17 action is a starting point of our struggle for independence, European way of development, fair and honest local elections, scheduled for next spring. The campaign will culminate in the Freedom Day festivities on March 25, 2003. You may find the rest of the snapshots here.
10 December 2002
12 March 2003
25 March 2003
3 April 2003
25 June 2003
21 July 2004
18 October 2004
10 December 2004
22 December 2004
