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429:
Following the constitutional changes in
November 1996, the Belarusian political system became increasingly authoritarian with the government seeking to curtail all political freedoms. The authorities did not sanction most of requested street demonstrations and then brutally dispersed "unsanctioned"
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The constitutional referendum occurred in a repressive political environment and with pervasive government control of the media. Through this control, the
Government denied the voters access to the views of the opposition--including members of Parliament and of the Constitutional
441:(ICCPR), to which Belarus is a state party, Lukashenka issued a draconian decree in March 1997, codified into law later that year, which severely limited the right to citizens to demonstrate, regulating the even the types of symbols, flags, and banners participants may use.
379:, over the president's proposal to amend the constitution to extend his term of office from five to seven years, create a second legislative chamber whose members would be appointed by the president, and limit the power of the
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ones. They began to apply a wide range of repressive measures against their participants – from brutal police force to fines and administrative arrests to expulsion of students and dismissal of employees on political grounds.
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sharply criticized the conditions under which the referendum was held as "riddled with violations of democratic norms" and refused to recognize its results:
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Arbitrary and violent arrests of demonstrators, without regard to age or infirmity, became commonplace. In violation of the terms of both the
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The protests resumed in the spring of 1997 with at least 10,000 demonstrators marching through central Minsk on 16 March.
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355:) was a series of mass street protests in 1996 and 1997 against the increasingly-authoritarian rule of President
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Officially, the public voted in favor of the amendments by a wide majority, although many countries, including
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375:. The referendum was called following a dispute between President Lukashenko and the elected parliament, the
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Adjustment of the Union State treaty, refutation of the unification of
Belarus and Russia into a single state
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a declaration calling for democracy in
Belarus was published on the anniversary of the 1996 referendum.
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Cancellation of the agreement "On the
Community of Belarus and Russia", resignation of Lukashenko
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694:, by Andrew Wilson. New Edition. - New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 2021. -
418:-96 on 26 April 1996, which became one of the largest rallies in the period between the
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The protests in the spring of 1996 started with commemoration of an anniversary of the
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Belarus: A Denationalized Nation (Postcommunist States and
Nations),
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by David R. Marples. - harwood academic publishers, 1999. -
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40:— 26 April 1997 (1 year, 1 month and 2 days)
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International
Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
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367:The protests were triggered by a constitutional
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529:"Why Don't Belarusians Revolt? | BelarusDigest"
625:"10,000 in Belarus Protest Moves by President"
575:"Belarusian Spring – 1996: As Was The Case"
437:and international instruments such as the
688:" (in Belarusian). Retrieved 2021-04-09.
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692:Belarus: The Last European Dictatorship
631:. Agence France-Presse. 16 March 1997.
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457:Personalities of the Belarusian Spring
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16:1996–1997 protests in Minsk, Belarus
550:"1996 Human Rights Report: Belarus"
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414:on 24 March and peaked during the
68:, authoritarian rule of President
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369:referendum on amendments
173:Belarusian Popular Front
435:Belarusian constitution
373:Constitution of Belarus
32:24 March 1996
390:member states and the
151:Union State supporters
738:Belarusian opposition
600:"REPUBLIC OF BELARUS"
363:Background and causes
352:"Biełaruskaja viasna"
167:Belarusian opposition
121:Presidency of Belarus
381:Constitutional Court
357:Alexander Lukashenko
233:with the support of:
218:Mikhail Myasnikovich
207:Alexander Lukashenko
70:Alexander Lukashenko
743:Protests in Belarus
554:1997-2001.state.gov
321:"Belarusian Spring"
229:Vsevolod Yanchevski
629:The New York Times
346:"Беларуская вясна"
90:, peaceful marches
340:"Minskaja viasna"
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64:Creation of
24:Minsk Spring
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604:www.hrw.org
468:Vasil Bykaŭ
267:Vasil Bykaŭ
95:Resulted in
66:Union State
722:Categories
511:References
449:Charter 97
325:Belarusian
36:1996-03-24
637:0362-4331
334:romanized
61:Caused by
484:See also
422:and the
182:UNA-UNSO
45:Location
667:9 April
642:9 April
609:9 April
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559:9 April
534:9 April
336::
298:Unknown
103:Parties
84:Methods
54:Belarus
34: (
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287:Number
144:Police
400:Court
88:rally
76:Goals
50:Minsk
709:ISBN
696:ISBN
669:2021
644:2021
633:ISSN
611:2021
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536:2021
315:The
148:OMON
29:Date
319:or
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323:(
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