2000 press releases

Concern Over Ban on Chyarnobylski Shlyakh (April 24, 2000)

The Government of the United States views with great concern the recent decision by the Minsk City Executive Committee to ban the holding of the Charnobylski Shlyakh. The march, held annually on the anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster on April 26, has become in many ways an important symbol and means to demonstrate publicly the concerns of the Belarusian people.

Plans by a broad coalition of Belarusian organizations to proceed with the Charnobylski Shlyakh are in full accord with the freedoms of assembly and expression that are enshrined in OSCE and other international commitments, which the government of Belarus freely undertook.

The United States is gravely concerned that prohibiting a peaceful march on the anniversary of such an important date could lead to arrests and violence that would violate Belarus's commitments and further damage its international reputation.

We strongly urge Belarusian authorities to grant permission for this march to take place in a peaceful way, and refrain from harassing those who would like to participate. Any repetition of the brutal and unjustified crackdown on March 25 of a peaceful demonstration will only further separate Belarus from the family of democratic nations in Europe.