Belarusian Intellectuals Call on Authorities to Abstain from Using Violence against Citizens on 25 March

An appeal of the Belarusian intellectuals to the authorities has been composed on the initiative of the organizational committee of celebration of the Freedom Day, 25 March.

˜The independence of Belarus was first declared on 25 March 1918 by the 3rd statutory charter of the Belarusian People’s Republic’, runs the appeal. ˜This day is celebrated as a national holiday by all people who value Fatherland and its history’. The Belarusian intellectuals apply to the Belarusian authorities with an appeal not to discredit Belarus and its people with provocations and prevent confrontation of the police and peaceful citizens who will come out to the streets of Belarusian cities to reverence the Belarusian nationhood.

The appeal was signed by Zmitser Mikhniuk, Sviatlana Kalinkina, Leanid Zlotnikau, Radzim Haretski, Aliaksei Marachkin, Aliaksandr Vaitovich, Stanislau Sudnik, Uladzimir Khalip, Henadz Buraukin, Valiantsin Taras, Uladzimir Konan and Andrei Iahorau.