Tatsiana Novikava: Authorities went berserk ahead of Chernobyl Way rally

The Belarusian authorities are afraid of the topic of Chernobyl and Astravets.

Tatsiana Novikava, a coordinator of the Belarusian anti-nuclear campaign, said it in her comment to charter97.org on mass detentions of ecological activists ahead of the Chernobyl Way rally.

“It is not the first time when ecological activists have been detained. We were detained last summer when we wanted to pass a petition to the Russian Embassy. The authorities want the Chernobyl Way rally to preserve its image of a pro-opposition demonstration with a small number of participants, a continuation of the Freedom Day rally with traditional slogans. We have changed the format of the rally to focus on the key problems – consequences of the Chernobyl disaster and construction of an NPP  in Astravets,” the activist noted.

She stressed that anti-nuclear activists prepared most of the propaganda materials.

“We had banners for ecological activists and other demonstrators. As a result, most of the promotional materials were blocked in at home. We had no opportunities to take them out of the flat. We didn't expect that, because we participated in the event without problems last year,” the ecological activist noted.

She made a guess why the Belarusian authorities we so brutal.

“Why did they go berserk this year? I think the authorities are afraid of the topic of Chernobyl and Astravets. Politicians were allowed to go to the rally, but we were not. I was in the flat, while a police car was standing near my home watching me. Plainclothes policemen were everywhere. The most awful thing is that I am an official organiser of the rally. I had no chances to get to the event I was legally responsible for,” Tatsiana Novikava said.