Key Events: March 1-7

BELARUS

 

Mar 1: Belarus enforces harsher penalties for protesting.

Starting March 1, the Belarusian regime adopted new laws that significantly increase fines and introduce lengthier prison sentences for participating in unauthorized protests.

Mar 2: Authoritarians emboldened by weak international response to the events in Belarus.

While the EU, UK, and US offered their support to the opposition and have imposed personal sanctions against leading figures of the regime, the limited sanctions have not produced a significant impact. Moreover, the authoritarian regimes around the world appear to copy his playbook. April 2021 presidential elections in Benin may also follow Belarusian scenario.

Mar 2: Bloomberg: Belarus leader seeks Russian warplanes in move to bolster power.

The official website of the President of Belarus posted a partial transcript from Lukashenka’s recent meeting with Russia’s President Putin. There, Lukashenka entertains the possibility of hosting Russian military planes on the Belarusian soil.

Mar 2: Belarus and Russia military sign five-year strategic partnership program.

The defense ministries of Belarus and Russia announced signing a 5-year strategic partnership program. There were no details provided about the new agreement.

Mar 2: Lukashenka: There will be ‘No transfer of power’ in Belarus.

After meeting in Sochi with Russian President Putin, Lukashenka declared that there would not be any transition of power despite the Belarus civic society’s pressure, peaceful protesters, opposition leaders, and the international community. Lukashenka mentioned the possible adoption of a new Constitution at the beginning of next year. “And that is all that the transfer of power will be about," Lukashenka said.

Mar 3: CPJ condemns sentencing of Belarus journalist Katsiaryna Barysevich to 6 months in jail.

The Committee to Protect Journalist (CPJ) denounced the sentencing of Belarusian journalist Katsiaryna Barysevich to six months in jail and a fine of the equivalent of USD 1105 over her reporting. Barysevich had questioned the authorities’ explanation about the death of 31-year-old Roman Bondarenko following his detainment and severe beating. Barysevich was sentenced for “revealing personal health information””

Mar 3: Spring showdown looms in Belarus.

Both the oppositional forces and the authorities are preparing for more protests. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya called for mass demonstrations on March 25. Pavel Latushko, a leading member of the Belarusian opposition’s Coordination Council, predicted a “decisive battle.” The looming showdown on the Belarus Independence Day promises to carry high stakes for many Belarusians in their fight to snatch Belarus away from the claws of the Russian imperialism.

Mar 4: Lukashenko’s brutal crackdown has lethal help from Moscow.

The investigation by BYPOL, which is the organization of dissident former Belarus security officers, has produced evidence of Russia supplying Belarus special police forces with lethal weapons and ammunition. There are multiple reports of injuries to the protest-related injuries that are consistent with military-grade munitions.

Mar 6: Interior Ministry promises to ‘find and punish’ opposition protesters.

In his interview with the state-owned TV channel, Deputy Interior Minister of Belarus, Henadz Kazakevich, claimed that the authorities “will find and punish every citizen” who insults or threatens police officers in social networks. According to the Deputy Interior Minister, the people expressing disagreement with the police violence are typically young men, unemployed or working in low-paid positions.

Mar 7: Human rights center ‘Viasna’ under investigation.

The Main Department for Investigation of Crimes in the Sphere of Organized Crime and Corruption of the Central Office of the Investigative Committee of the Republic of Belarus has opened a criminal case against the Human Rights Center “Viasna.” The authorities allege that Viasna provides funding and other material support for illegal mass events that pursue goals of grossly violating public order. The authorities executed the search warrants at the offices of Viasna and on the private property inside the apartments of its members. Several key figures of the Viasna organization saw travel restrictions imposed on them.

INTERNATIONAL

Mar 1: Exiled Belarus opposition leader begins four-day Finland visit. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, the exiled opposition leader, is to meet with President Sauli Niinistö, Prime Minister Sanna Marin, and Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto to discuss the human rights situation in Belarus. Sviatlana Tsikhanouslaya will also visit Portugal and Switzerland to meet with politicians to discuss the political crisis in Belarus.

Mar 2: Lithuania expects agreement on Belarus nuclear power blockade by July.

Lithuania is leading the way to present the case in front of the European Commission about blocking electricity exports from Belarus’ Astravyets nuclear power plant.

Mar 3: Lithuania refuses to extradite Belarus opposition figure.

Lithuania on Friday refused to extradite to Belarus opposition figure Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, with the Baltic nation’s foreign minister saying “hell will freeze over first" before the demand by Belarus’ authoritarian leader is granted. Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis said that in his country people seeking shelter “can feel safe and no one would be handed over because of their fight for democracy, freedom of speech or freedom of religion.”

Mar 3: Freedom House: Global decline in democracy has ‘accelerated’.

Washington-based human rights watchdog Freedom House reports the decline of global freedom in 2020. According to Freedom’s House annual report, Belarus and Kyrgyzstan suffered the most significant losses in their scores for political rights and civil liberties.

ADDITIONAL READING

BelarusBrief: February news from the Belarusian Diaspora in the USA.

Atlantic Council: Difficult neighbors: How the Belarus crisis has strained ties between Minsk and Kyiv.