A series of street protests against PresidentAlexander 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 cityMinsk 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. 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 leaderVladimir 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
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, where the cityexecutive 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.
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 :ru:Марзалюк, Игорь Александрович|Ihar Marzaliuk, five people arrested
Minsk – From the cinema "Kastryčnik" to :be:Плошча Бангалор, Мінск|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
Minsk – Several thousand people went to protest
26 March
1 May
Minsk – 400 people came to a banned protests despite the jailing of Mikola Statkevich, opposition leader and main organizer of the event.
