Authorities insist on permissive requirements for street rallies

The Belarusian authorities continue to insist on the permissive principle for holding opposition street rallies and apply pointed detentions and fines against activists in unauthorised protests. Currently, the opposition has two centres for coordinating street activity: Statkevich-led Belarusian National Committee, encouraging the population to march in the Minsk centre on May Day without an authorisation; and the organizing committee of Chernobyl Path 2017 and May Day rallies, including the right-wingers, Tell the Truth and independent trade unions, standing for an authorised and safe format.

Minsk authorities and the opposition have agreed on the Chernobyl Shliakh (Chernobyl Path) format.

Following negotiations between the opposition and the Minsk City authorities, the latter have agreed to authorise the Chernobyl Path to start at 6 pm on April 26^th at the Academy of Sciences and allowed the participants to march towards the Bangalore Square, a traditional route for this annual rally. The authorities made an attempt to shift the start of the rally to 2 pm in order to reduce participation in the rally, but finally, the compromise had been achieved.

In addition, part of the opposition and independent trade unions have planned a series of “solidarity marches” with socio-economic slogans, which should start in Minsk and 30 Belarusian regions on May 1^st. Meanwhile, the BNC, headed by Statkevich is calling upon the population to gather on the October Square in Minsk for an unauthorised May Day rally with social and political demands. Given the possible clampdown by the authorities, unauthorised protests are unlikely to be popular among the activists.

The authorities are unlikely to take the risk and authorise the ‘solidarity marches’, including in the capital, due to the fears of convergence of the political agenda and socio-economic demands and the opposition gaining in popularity among the population.