Dozens of people were detained during the celebration of Freedom Day in Minsk. A PHOTO

In Belarus, 25 March marks an unofficial holiday, Freedom Day, dedicated to the 100 anniversary of the independence of the Belarusian People’s Republic, which was proclaimed in 1918 year.

Dron captured a large-scale rally in the center of Minsk. Photo: Radio Liberty

Radio Liberty published a photo taken by a drone in the center of the capital of Belarus. In 2018, for the first time during the reign of Alexander Lukashenko, authorities officially allowed a rally and a concert in the center of the capital.

Photo: twitter / euroradio.fm

Photo: twitter / euroradio.fm

On Freedom Day, mass arrests of people took place on Yakub Kolas Square, which were going to take part in the “March of Dignity and Freedom”, and arrests throughout the country, when activists were going to events in Minsk.

On the eve of March 25, preventive detentions of local activists took place in Bobruisk, Bereza, Brest, Slutsk, Vileyka. Many of the detainees are waiting for the courts on Monday, March 26.

Public activist Nikolai Chernous from Baranavichy was summoned to 10 a.m. on March 25 in order to prevent him from attending a rally in the capital.

In the morning of March 25, the police began to put obstacles in the way of those who are going to Minsk to celebrate the 100 anniversary of the BNR. Activists were detained at home, at the train station and even on the trains. Some were escorted back to their hometown.

They detained not only activists, but also journalists.

The journalist Olga Chaychits writes on Facebook: “We cannot leave the village where we live. Detained around the house.

Photo: Olga Chaychits / Facebook

The state traffic inspectorate of Belarus has planned a special operation “Filter” on 25 in March with not entirely clear goals and objectives. There is a possibility that in this way the authorities tried to stop motor transport, on which many regional activists get to Minsk.

Andrei Kozel, a Belsat journalist, was taken to a mental hospital.

On Nemiga Street, people in civilian clothes targeted passers-by with national symbols - ribbons, flags, and balloons.

By telephone, Galina Abakunchik managed to say that several people with flags were also forcibly detained. After some time, she and others were transplanted into a passenger car and taken to the Central District Department of Internal Affairs of Minsk. The minibus returned from Nemiga to “hunt” other passersby.

About 100 people were detained in various places.

PHOTO: “RADYY SVABODA”

PHOTO: “RADYY SVABODA”

PHOTO: “RADYY SVABODA”

Photo: people.onliner.by

Photo by: tut.by

PHOTO: “RADYY SVABODA”

PHOTO: “RADYY SVABODA”

The Belarusian opposition holds rallies annually on Freedom Day on March 25. Last year the action was not sanctioned, so everything is over detentions, including journalists.

The BPR is a political entity proclaimed in 1918 by a group of leaders of the national movement. The BPR existed as an independent state in 1918-1919; later the government of the Belarusian People's Republic was forced to emigrate. Supporters of the BPR call it the first independent state in the modern history of Belarus.

Read also on ForumDaily:

As a Belarusian anesthesiologist emigrated to the United States and built a career

How Belarusian got into the Hall of Fame of George Washington University: the story of Yegor Mishcheryakov

What awaits you after moving to the USA

How Belarusians create dinosaurs for Hollywood

Do you want more important and interesting news about life in the USA and immigration to America? — support us donate! Also subscribe to our page Facebook. Select the “Priority in display” option and read us first. Also, don't forget to subscribe to our РєР ° РЅР ° Р »РІ Telegram  and Instagram- there is a lot of interesting things there. And join thousands of readers ForumDaily New York — there you will find a lot of interesting and positive information about life in the metropolis.