Belarus protestors resort to digital communication to organise nationwide demonstrations

Amid the internet outages and opposition leader going on self-exile, the protestors in Belarus calling for democracy have resorted to digital communications to organise peaceful gatherings.

The unrest has rocked the European nation since August 9 when the results of ‘rigged’ general elections were announced declaring the sixth term for Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko. From setting destinations to time of the protests, the messaging apps including Telegram have become an indispensable tool for protestors. 

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For instance, agency sources carried a message from one of the channels on the messaging app this week: “Today will be one more important day in the fight for our freedom. Tectonic shifts are happening on all fronts, so it’s important not to slow down.” “Morning. Expanding the strike … 11:00. Supporting the Kupala (theatre) ... 19:00. Gathering at the Independence Square,” it added. 

While Lukashenko claimed landslide victory that extended his 26-year-old regime, the opposition has dismissed the results of the elections and called it ‘rigged’.

Initially, the peaceful demonstrations occurring in various major cities in Belarus were confronted by the authorities with stun grenades, rubber bullets and clashes with the law enforcement officers. Shortly after that opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya left for Lithuania amid threats. Since the authorities even shut off the internet, the disappointed public resorted to Telegram.

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The app widely remains available despite the internet cut-offs and has touted the privacy of messages shared between the users. Telegram has previously been used to organise wide protests in the past and similarly, Belurasian used some of its channels to transform scattered rallies into a coordinated call for action.

The people who run these channels on Telegram even post constant news updates, videos, and photos of the demonstrations occurring in places with heavy security. 

The digital communication has also come in handy for the protestors to use contacts of human rights activists and even phone calls for future demonstrations. The members of the opposition have moderately refrained from publicly organising the nationwide rallies but reportedly tens of thousands of people have responded to such calls. Franak Viacorka, a Belarusian analyst and non-resident fellow at the Atlantic Council has noted that NEXTA, NEXTA Live and Belarus of the Brain have become most popular channels.

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Criminal case against opposition leaders

Belarusian authorities have opened a criminal investigation against the opposition over alleged attempt to ‘seize power’. The chief prosecutor of the ruling party, Alexander Konyuk filed an indictment stating that the creation and activity of the Coordination Council by the Opposition are aimed at the ‘seizure’ of state power while also ‘harming national security’. 

This comes after Tikhanovskaya announced the creation of a Coordination Council in a bid to ensure the transfer of power. She even called out on foreign governments to ‘help’ them in organising negotiations with the Belarusian authorities. 

(With AP Inputs)

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