On May 31, our crew was covering pre-election pickets in Minsk all day long. Have a look at the photos we have picked out for you.
The Belarusian Central Election Commission (CEC) have registered 15 of 55 initiative groups. It means that over a dozen wannabe got the green light for collecting signatures to be nominated for the 2020 presidential run. There are both establishment and moderate opposition politicians among them.
To officially become a presidential candidate, each of them will have to collect 100,000 signatures until June, 19. The names of the candidates will be announced in mid July, and the election will be held on August, 9.
Notably, a wannabe presidential candidate does not have to get permission from the authorities for holding such a pre-election picket.
This year’s presidential campaign is indicative of the people’s fatigue with the 26-year rule of Alyaksandr Lukashenka. On Sunday, thousands of people throughout the country lined up to put their signatures for any of his rivals. Especially large queues formed after blogger Syarhei Tsikhanouski, a trustee and husband of Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya, had been detained in Hrodna on May, 29.
Oueue of many metres near Kamarouski market in Minsk. 31 May 2020.
Photo: Belsat.eu
Collecting signatures for Lukashenka’s rivals. 31 May 2020.
Photo: Belsat.eu
Slipper as symbol of protest. 31 May 2020.
Photo: Belsat.eu
Slipper as symbol of pre-election protest. 31 May 2020.
Photo: Belsat.eu
‘Long live Belarus!’ Pre-election picket in Minsk. 31 May 2020.
Photo: Belsat.eu
Chanting: “We have enough of him!”. 31 May 2020.
Photo: Belsat.eu
Pre-election picket in Minsk. 31 May 2020.
Photo: Belsat.eu
Collecting signatures will last till June, 19.
Photo: Belsat.eu
Many families attended the picket. 31 May 2020.
Photo: Belsat.eu
Picket in Minsk. 31 May 2020.
Photo: Belsat.eu
By #controlby estimation, 1,600 persons were standing in line soon after the start of the picket. 31 May 2020.
Photo: Belsat.eu
People put their signatures for many candidates, but the overwhelming majority were ‘against one of them’.
Photo: Belsat.eu
Minsk police detained a number o activists during and in the wake of the picket. 31 May 2020.
Photo: Belsat.eu
People are waiting in line to sign for Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya. 31 May 2020.
Photo: Belsat.eu
Some had to wait their turn for hours. 31 May 2020.
Photo: Belsat.eu
Picket in Minsk. 31 May 2020.
Photo: Belsat.eu
‘Slipper Revolution’ in Minsk. 31 May 2020.
Photo: Belsat.eu
Chanting ‘Lukashenka Back Off’. 31 May 2020.
Photo: Belsat.eu
Maryna Adamovich, the wife of former political prisoner mikalai Statkevich.
Photo: Belsat.eu
‘Stop Cockroach’. 31 May 2020.
Photo: Belsat.eu
People were queueing even at 21:00.
Photo: Belsat.eu
