Civil society resists the pressure and repressions of the authorities; political parties put reforms and local agenda in the spotlight

Human rights defenders and independent media are prompted to respond to the authorities’ repressive actions against online media and lawsuits against trade union leaders. Some political parties have announced their own reforms agenda (centre-rightists) and others have responded to the current agenda (Tell The Truth). Protests in Kurapaty have further subsided, however, the consistency of protests retained.

Human rights defenders and independent media have focused on the BelTA case and on the trial against the REP trade union leaders. Meanwhile, tension and mutual accusations among journalists working for independent and state-run media have stepped up. Mutual pinpricks in the journalistic community have blurred the focus on more popular socio-economic and political issues. That said, the negative response in society to the BelTA case, including against the ruling elite, has turned out to be acuter than the authorities anticipated, including through the coordinated actions of the civil society in support for the independent media.

Centre-rightists have once again engaged MP Kanopatskaya to promote legislative changes, this time, aiming to enable land acquisition and sale. Tell The Truth has swiftly responded to the president’s discontent with the re-industrialisation project in Orsha and initiated a discussion on the new government’s composition.

Despite administrative arrests and fines imposed on protest leaders, protests against the restaurant near the Kurapaty site continued. Protest organisers have managed to ensure a small but stable number of protesters. Protests and the pressure on the authorities are likely to step up as the autumn comes.

Right centrists are likely to continue to engage MP Kanopatskaya in promoting legislative changes on some issues, to which the authorities could have agreed. Tell The Truth is likely to further its regional expansion and penetration and recruit new activists by focusing on addressing local issues.