Brave young people had enough of harsh drug laws in Belarus and fight back. They found allies in the mothers of drug convicts, who went on hunger strike to demand an end to the war on their sons.
On 2 April 2018, timed to coincide with the beginning of the spring Parliament session, at 16:20 14 Legalize Belarus activists went to the building of the Parliament holding letters of the word “decriminalisation”.
Belarus is an Eastern European country blessed with a rich cultural heritage and a scenic landscape, but its people are subject to some of the most repressive drug policies on the continent.
Activists of education and advocacy civic campaign Legalize Belarus shared personal motivators they are driven by. Get inspired! Photo credits — Karalina Palakova.
On 17 February 2018, a group of young Belarusians holding a banner reading ‘Legalize Belarus’ gathered on Independence Avenue in the heart of Minsk. The group was campaigning for the legalisation of marijuana in Belarus, a proposition that, at least for now, seems unlikely to attract support from the public or government officials.
Belarusian Christian Democracy (BCD) is a political organisation in Belarus, that is often considered to be a part of "systemic opposition", a group of political actors taking part in what is formally called elections. By and large, such groups are not supported by the population and viewed as "puppet players of the government", helping the authoritarian regime to legitimise their power
This is the eighth and the last planned Legalize Belarus landing. Lecture on the War on Drugs and hate speech towards drug users and people with addiction disorders took place in the Beatles Club in Viciebsk, the northern capital of Belarus.
On 17 February 2018, the day before local election day, Legalize Belarus activists organised the first picket for decriminalisation of small amounts of controlled substances. The picket was held in the centre of Minsk, near Kastryčnickaja płošča. Activists brought a provocative banner, showing that simplifying a position towards current drug policy leads to appalling consequences.
Soon after the first trial on Piotr Markiełaŭ for organisation of Hemp Kaliada, when the case was sent back to police department, 4 Legalize Belarus activists received subpoenas. All four (Piotr Markiełaŭ, Stas Šašok, Michaś Varancoŭ and Julija Švabovič) were accused of participating in an unauthorised meeting.
Updated March 15, 2020 to reflect the changes made in the Criminal Code in 2019.