Yelena Leuchanka, a Belarusian basketball player, was recently arrested and kept in the Okrestina detention center for her participation in protests opposing the Lukashenko regime. Her story speaks to the broader human effects of the continuing protests in Belarus, as well as the ways that the state cultivates strong complicity amongst its constituents.
A famous Belarusian body-builder recently divorced her husband, a member of the riot police of Minsk, after she received threats following the release of his personal information via a doxing service. Her declaration that her divorce "Is what society wanted" speaks to the growing effect of protests in the region on individuals, as well as whether threats to personal livelihood will grow increasingly relevant in convincing the authorities to enact positive change.
As protests against the Lukashenko regime continue in Minsk, President Vladimir Putin of Russia made the decisive choice to officially express Moscow's support for the maintenance of Alexander Lukashenko's power. Though Russia initially had a "wait-and-see" stance on the protests, it appears that Putin's position has changed due to Russia and Belarus' interdependence for military supplies, monetary support, and political outreach.
The head of the Roman Catholic Church in Belarus had his passport canceled, likely due to his criticism of the Belarusian government. This violates the Constitution of Belarus and could lead to an attempt to weaken or scapegoat minority religions in the region.
This article reports on the sanctions placed on Belarus by the EU and America because of election protests as well as the retaliation by Belarus and Russia.
In response to severe police suppression of protests in Belarus, developer Andrey Maximov designed a program that exposes the identities of police officers accused of abuse. While this is a positive evolution in terms of the Belarusian people's tactics of non-violent direct action, its efficacy will only be revealed by the nature of the response of the Lukashenko regime.
This article elaborates on how the Belarusian authorities responded to a women’s march that took place in Minsk, demanding for the impeachment of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.
