Opposition rally held in Minsk center (Photo)

The street rally was dedicated to the 19th anniversary of the 1996 referendum, held on November 24 in Minsk. In addition, the rally was aimed to honor the memory of two of the missing politicians - Interior Minister Yury Zakharanka and Viktar Hanchar, Chairman of the Central Election Commission. It is in connection with the 1996 referendum that both of them first lost their jobs first and then were kidnapped.

The people were supposed to gather at 18:00 hours near the GUM department store in Minsk. Prior to the rally, in the commentary to Euroradio, Statkevich said that the meaning of the rally was to remember the people killed for political reasons. He noted that the participants will come to the so-called "places of fear" and show they are not afraid. At the same time, said Statkevich, it is not so important how many people will take part in the rally. He suggested that the authorities were unlikely to have a crackdown."

The rally was attended by such well-known opposition politicians as Mikalai Statkevich, Uladzimir Nyaklyayeu, Pavel Sevyarynets and Anatoly Lyabedzka. There were indeed quite a lot of people , about a hundred, but at 18:00 Statkevich urged to move towards the Ministry of Interior, to put candles and lay flowers under the windows of the former Zakharenka's office.

The campaigners were not hindered in their movement, none of the protesters broke the traffic rules. But they failed to fulfill the first part of the plan - there is now a dump and construction fence, so they could not come to the building. Without stopping, they went to the CEC.

The protesters peacefully passed the Independence Square, lay flowers and lit candles on the steps of the Government House, in front of the House of Representatives. Nyaklyayeu and Statkevich took turns to pronounce small speeches, they recalled the 1996 referendum, Zakharenka and Hanchar, announced a minute of silence. At this point, they were approached by the police, who drew up a report. "You already have my personal data. File it. But I will not sign," said Statkevich.

As a result, reports were filed on ordinary protesters. First of all, those who had the national symbols on them. Statkevich called upon all who had portocols drawn on them to find him through Facebook or VK and leave their contacts. "We will not abandon anyone, we will help with the lawyer," said the organizer of the rally.