Minsk, Belarus
Riot police this week broke up a rally in central Minsk against Belarus’ authoritarian ruler Alyaksandr Lukashenka. It was the largest opposition demonstration in nearly a year, and several foreign dignitaries, including ambassadors from the U.S., Germany, and France, were present. Protestors waving the red-and-white pre-Soviet flag chanted, “We want freedom,” and “Belarus in the E.U.” Last spring, just after Lukashenka won a third term after rushing through constitutional changes, protests went on for a week. They finally ended when riot police waded in with clubs and arrested hundreds. Leaders of that rally are still in prison.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Maha Kumbh Mela: world's largest religious festival gets under way in IndiaIn The Spotlight Politics of Hindu nationalism has cast a shadow over event touted as biggest ever gathering of humanity
-
North Carolina Supreme Court risks undermining its legitimacyUnder the radar A contentious legal battle over whether to seat one of its own members threatens not only the future of the court's ideological balance, but its role in the public sphere
-
Codeword: January 14, 2025The Week's daily codeword puzzle
