Chernobyl Way

Chernobyl Way (Belarusian: Чарнобыльскі шлях, Russian: Чернобыльский шлях, Чернобыльский путь) is an annual rally held on April 26 by the opposition in Belarus as a remembrance of the Chernobyl disaster.

Chernobyl Way (2014)

The first time it was held in 1989 with demands of urgent efforts in eliminating the consequences of the catastrophe.[1] That year, about 30,000 participants marched from LUCH, Minsk Watch Plant, through the downtown to the Square of Independence and held a rally there.[2]

In 1996, the largest Chernobyl Way was held in Minsk marking the 10th anniversary since the Chernobyl disaster. It was the first Chernobyl Way during Lukashenko's presidency. About 50,000 people gathered together at the Academy of Sciences and marched on the main street of Minsk (Independence Avenue). There were many clashes with the police, the demonstrators were dispersed by OMON and many political activists protesting against Lukashenko’s regime were detained.[3] Among those detained were journalists and opposition leaders, namely Yury Khadyka, Lyavon Barshchewski, Vyachaslau Siuchyk, Vincuk Viačorka.

After this rally opposition leader Zianon Pazniak left the country. Staff of the Maksim Bahdanovič Literary Museum started helping the arrested and their families and this is how the Viasna Human Rights Center was created.[4]