In a live broadcast, Belsat TV anchors give latest news, comment on the recent developments, talk to experts, and connect to our reporters in Belarus (in BEL/RU). For ENG updates, follow us on Twitter.
Today’s protest march ‘Dzyady Against Terror’ is dedicated to the Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Stalinist Repressions. It kicked off at 2 pm (local time). The participants are also showing their discontent with the rigged presidential election and police violence throughout the country.
Minsk-based protesters announced attending Kurapaty, a Stalin-era mass execution site in the forest on the outskirts of the Belarusian capital. It should be noted that Belarusians mark the Day of All Souls (Dzyady) on November 2. On its eve, believers usually go to the cemeteries to say a prayer and light candles in memory of their dead.
Nov 1. Convoy of prison trucks heading to #Kurapaty forest near #Minsk, where protesters are set to gather during today’s #MarchAgainstTerror. By various estimates, 30K-250K persons might have been executed by #Stalin‘s police there in 1930s #Belarus #BelarusProtest pic.twitter.com/LPEg4DFc9Z
— Belsat in English (@Belsat_Eng) November 1, 2020
32 years ago, on 30 October 1988, Minskers staged a march to Kurapaty, where Stalin’s secret police NKVD killed thousands of people in the 1930s. According to various estimates, 30,000 – 250,000 might have been shot down and buried there in 1937-1941.
On Sunday afternoon, mobile Internet slowed down in Minsk; several metro stations were closed off.
People started gathering at Park Chalyuskintsau and other locations in the north-east of the city; then they were forming columns and marching in the direction of Kurapaty. However, siloviki repeatedly blocked the roads, barring the participants from moving further. Although pro-government troops detained and battered protesters, fired in the air, used tear gas and blew flashbang grenades to disperse them, some groups of people managed to reach Kurapaty Forest and hold a rally there.
As of 11.30 pm, there are 272 persons detained on Sunday across the country, mainly in Minsk, human rights centre Viasna reports.
85th protest day: Participants in #MarchAgainstTorture try to find way to mass grave site #Kurapaty on outskirts of #Minsk; they were going to pay tribute to #Stalinism victims and protest against present-day terror in #Belarus. However, many were barred by police #BelarusProtest pic.twitter.com/hrBj1pyBli
— Belsat in English (@Belsat_Eng) November 1, 2020
Nov 1. #Minsk now. ‘Long live #Belarus!’ Column marching along Karbyshev Street #ProtestAgainstTerror #BelarusProtest pic.twitter.com/Pgoghr6dLO
— Belsat in English (@Belsat_Eng) November 1, 2020
Nov 1. Siloviki firing in air during #MarchAgainstTerror, protesters chanting ‘Court martial!’ #Minsk #belarus #BelarusProtest pic.twitter.com/G0ofi47Iak
— Belsat in English (@Belsat_Eng) November 1, 2020
Nov 1. #Minsk today: Flashbang grenades, allegedly rubber bullets used against protesters; sounds of shots heard, people sprinting away from siloviki #MarchAgainstTerror #Belarus #BelarusProtest Video: @tutby_official pic.twitter.com/yruC6cGBUe
— Belsat in English (@Belsat_Eng) November 1, 2020
Nov 1. #Minsk now: #Belarusian seniors trying to talk siloviki out of using force against protesters #MarchAgainstTerror #Belarus #BelarusProtest pic.twitter.com/tBOwcEOHF3
— Belsat in English (@Belsat_Eng) November 1, 2020
Nov 1. #Minsk now: Siloviki detaining people not far from #Kurapaty (#Stalin-era mass grave site and destination of participants in today’s #MarchAgainstTerror) #Belarus #BelarusProtest pic.twitter.com/CcbjgA4xba
— Belsat in English (@Belsat_Eng) November 1, 2020
Nov 1. #Minsk now: Siloviki attacking, detaining protesters #Belarus #BelarusProtest #MarchAgainstTerror Video: @motolkohelp (warning: expletives in RU) pic.twitter.com/Uuc7jKAHpV
— Belsat in English (@Belsat_Eng) November 1, 2020
Nov 1. Another video of dispersing protesters with help of flashbang grenades near #Kurapaty on outskirts of #Minsk #Belarus #BelarusProtest #MarchAgainstTerror Source: @natbelographic pic.twitter.com/DzcjojuLan
— Belsat in English (@Belsat_Eng) November 1, 2020
Nov 1. Brutal detentions of protesters straight in field between Expobel Mall and #Kurapaty Forest near #Minsk, siloviki firing #Belarus #BelarusProtest #MarchAgainstTerror Video: #Belsat viewers pic.twitter.com/2rhlXrMMnf
— Belsat in English (@Belsat_Eng) November 1, 2020
Nov 1. #Minsk now: Siloviki chasing protesters in offstreet yards #MarchAgainstTerror #BelarusProtest #Belarus pic.twitter.com/95BAKEoyC0
— Belsat in English (@Belsat_Eng) November 1, 2020
Nov 1. ‘Long live #Belarus!’: Protesters greeting Nina #Bahinskaya, ‘granny with flag’ and ‘mother of #Belarusian revolution’, in #Kurapaty near #Minsk #MarchAgainstTerror #Belarus pic.twitter.com/oWqQAwIpmd
— Belsat in English (@Belsat_Eng) November 1, 2020
The protest rallies in Belarus have been underway for over two months. The major demands are Alyaksandr Lukashenka’s resignation, holding a free and fair election, releasing political prisoners, putting an end to police violence as well as state-run TV stations’ providing people with unbiased and reliable information. According to human rights activists’ estimates, more than 15,000 people have been detained in Belarus since the election day; many of them were beaten or tortured, some were raped. There are at least six death cases that are linked to the post-election protests. Over 350 persons are parties to criminal proceedings, the number of political prisoners exceeded 100.