Opposition leader on Freedom Day: Belarus held hostage by Russian imperialism

March 25, Pozirk. The time will come when Belarusians will be able to build a country of their dreams, opposition leader Śviatłana Cichanoŭskaja has said on the 106th anniversary of the proclamation of Belarus’ independence.

“The Freedom Day will not be an occasion for propaganda ridicule, but a real national holiday,” she said in her address posted on YouTube.

“We are forced to hold celebrations abroad and not on our native soil,” the politician noted. “We cannot celebrate with a light heart because thousands of people remain behind bars. . . . Today, our country is held hostage by the Russian empire that is waging a war of aggression against Ukraine, destroying our independence and our identity.”

Freedom Day marks the proclamation of independence by the Belarusian National Republic (BNR) on March 25, 1918. The Belarusian territory was taken by the Bolsheviks in December 1918.

The current Belarusian government does not recognize it as an official holiday, despite allowing large-scale celebrations on its 100th anniversary in 2018.

Belarusian officials played down the importance of the short-lived independence, describing the BNR as a “puppet” entity established under the German protectorate in the final stages of the First World War.

After 2020 presidential election, any attempts to publicly celebrate anniversaries led to arrests, trials and jail terms.

State-run propaganda has been vocal in demonizing historical events related to the proclamation of BNR independence, while the government has banned BNR symbols.