Belarus' Supreme Court refuses to register 'Immortal Regiment'

“Immortal Regiment” has been refused registration in Belarus. The Minsk City Court initially refused registration in March but the Supreme Court has ruled to uphold it. The decision was ‘absolutely political’, Valery Drako, one of the co-founders of “Immortal Regiment” in Belarus, told Radio Liberty. The chief department of the Ministry of Justice also refused to register the association earlier (officials explained it by ‘irremediable’ violations in the registration documents and statute). The initiators are planning to try registering the association as a republican one now.

“Immortal Regiment” is a Russian action traditionally held on May 9. Its participants used to bring the portraits of their relatives who participated in the Great Patriotic War to the action. However, people holding the portraits of Stalin, Lenin, Soviet flags and Saint George’s ribbons started joining the action later. Belarus has its own action – it is called “Belarus Remembers”.

The Kremlin is keeping an eye on the refusals to register “Immortal Regiment” in Belarus.