March 29, 2021, Minsk - State officials cracked down on civilians and journalists for organizing a protest rally against President Alexander Lukashenko. Of those arrested, at least five are journalists, most of them women. The continued repression of civil liberties and free press in the country has sent a wave of outrage in the international community.

This appears to be a second wave of repression, now that protestors seem to be regrouping following the Belarusian winter. The protests originally began in August of last year, following President Lukashenko’s claiming the sixth term through, what is largely believed to be, a rigged election. The state crackdown on protestors at the time as well as the harsh winter that followed it subdued the opposition, however now it appears that protestors are gaining momentum again.

The opposition Telegram channel Nexta, mainly responsible for organized resistance called for a renewed effort beginning Saturday, March 27. In response, the police cordoned off the city square and armed the streets with reinforcement. Although very few people managed to gather in protest, at least 100 people were detained during the day throughout the country including journalists. Critics of the state took to Twitter to express their anger at this overreach by authorities.

The Coalition For Women In Journalism condemns this repression by the state. Only recently they imprisoned two women journalists for covering protest demonstrations. This attempt to crackdown on dissent instead of productively engaging with it will only spiral into more violent confrontations. Protest and dissent is a civilian right, and any attempt to curb those right to protect personal power is deeply reprehensible.