Thirty-one-year-old artist Roman Bondarenko, who served in Belarusian special forces, lived in the center of Minsk on the so-called Change Square, popular among opposition supporters. On the evening of November 11, unknown camouflaged men arrived, trying to remove the red and white ribbons from the fence, which had become a symbol of Belarusian protests. Bondarenko wrote “I’m going out” to a local chat and went to find out why these men are doing it. Instead of answering, however, he was brutally beaten, driven into a car dealership and taken away. He was taken to hospital unconscious with traumatic injury and brain edema. He died of his injuries.
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After his death, solidarity actions took place in Belarus. In addition to Minsk, Bondarenko’s events also took place in Warsaw, London, San Francisco and Los Angeles.
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President Alexander Lukashenko also expressed his condolences to Roman’s parents, who also said that he had ordered a committee of inquiry to “investigate his death fairly and objectively.” According to Lukashenko, the opposition is trying to make Bondarenko a “sacral sacrifice”. “Nobody needs this rebellion. And they don’t need the sacred death of men either. Not just me, but them too. This is someone’s child. ” quotes Lukašenka server Belta.
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He again called the current protests against his re-election illegal and likened them to the so-called color revolutions, in which the leaders of some post-Soviet countries were overthrown. “Every color revolution makes the state weaker and the people poorer,” Lukashenko said.
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Protests continue, so does brutality
In response to this brutal event, the Belarusians took to the streets of their cities even today. In addition to all the traditional slogans of the Belarusian protests, another one was added: “I’m going out”, which was Roman’s last words. However, Belarusian police again dispersed the protesters. She used rubber bullets, tear gas, and flash grenades to disperse the crowd.
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It’s devastating. Lukashenka’s troops use disproportionate force against peaceful citizens. Reportedly, dozens injured. Belarus needs emergency humanitarian aid and a fast political response. Impose targeted economic sanctions! pic.twitter.com/3XhKv0OcqI
– Franc Viačorka (@franakviacorka) November 15, 2020
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According to some Belarusians media even before the event, the city center was occupied by car wagons and other equipment with barbed wire. Minsk also struggled with internet problems. According to a human rights organization Vyasna more than 600 people, including 17 journalists, were arrested during today’s protests.
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17 journalists including my former colleagues and very close friends detained today and will spend the next weeks (or months) in jail. Up to 1,000 people have been detained in Belarus today More than 25 thousand people detained since August.
Sanctions on Lukashenka needed now! pic.twitter.com/lJv7EwJj4R
– Franc Viačorka (@franakviacorka) November 15, 2020
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Svyatlana Cichanouska has previously stated that Roman Bandarenko has become an “innocent victim of a terrible system.” It also announced the creation of a “people’s tribunal” and called on Belarusians to participate in the work of a platform to gather evidence of the crimes of Alexander Lukashenko and his regime. “Our country has definitely become a crime scene. I declare Alexander Lukashenko and his accomplices a terrorist organization that must be held responsible for its crimes, “said Cichanouská. “Anyone who cynically breaks the law should respond: from members of election commissions and pro-government observers to officials, ideologues and officers who issue criminal orders,” the opposition leader stressed. At the same time, she promised an amnesty to members of the security forces who would report crimes to their colleagues.
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