The Belarusian authorities are apparently going to spend $55,000 on creating and developing godedinstva.by, a website devoted to the ‘national unity’ of Belarusians.
The corresponding tender advartisement appeared on the National Marketing Centre webpage. According to the public procurement agency, 143,400 rubles (more than $55,000) are to be allocated for the online project.
In early January, Alyaksandr Lukashenka signed decree No. 1 ‘On declaring 2021 the Year of National Unity.’ The decision was made ‘in order to consolidate society, unite the Belarusian people on the basis of the ideas of the country’s sovereignty and independence’, the press service reported. Notably, shortly before publishing the decree, Belarusians kept taking part in rallies, protesting against the lawlessness and crimes of the Lukashenka regime.
On 9 August, numerous protest rallies started throughout Belarus on the back of announcing the preliminary results of the election; the major demands of Belarusians were Alyaksndr Lukashenka’s resignation; holding a free and fair election; releasing political prisoners; putting an end to police violence as well as bringing to justice those involved in battering and torturing peaceful demonstrators. There are several deaths that are linked to the post-election protests. As of 15 April, 354 persons have been recognised as political prisoners by the Belarusian human rights community. According to the Amnesty International organisation, the Belarusian authorities admitted receiving some 900 complaints of abuse by police in connection with the protests, but by the end of the year not a single criminal investigation had been opened, nor had any law enforcement officer been charged with respective violations.
