March supporting Belarusian women takes place in Tallinn
A march to support women protesting the results of the presidential election in Belarus took place around Tallinn's Old Town, and across the world, on Saturday.
Women have played a central role in the protests which have taken place in Belarus since the elections in August. In recent weeks they have faced violence and intimidation from the state security services.
In Tallinn on Saturday, approximately two dozen people gathered at Freedom Square at 1 p.m wearing red and white and carrying flowers, flags and placards. The group then walked to Viru Gate, Town Hall Square (Raekoja plats), through Lühike jalg, to Patkuli viewing platform and finished at Šnelli Park.
The organizers of the march wrote on the "You go girl! Women's march for Belarus. Tallinn" Facebook page: "Women's solidarity knows no bounds. We ask all women around the world to stand with us in the struggle for human rights and dignity."
The event organizers said after the violent treatment of peaceful protestors in Belarus which followed the election "Belarusian women had to take on the role of a peacekeeping force". In recent weeks women have also been detained and their protests and weekly marches have been forcefully and violently broken up by the security services across Belarus.
"Mothers are threatened with the intervention of Child Protection Services and having their children taken away from their families. People are dismissed from jobs in state-owned firms and given hefty illegal fines," the march organizers wrote on Facebook.
Speaking about the march on Saturday, the organizers told ERR News: "Belarusians in Estonia, who organised the event "You go girl. Women's march for Belarus. Tallinn", are grateful to Estonian women for the continued great support and solidarity in our fight for human rights. Special thanks to the Estonian government for its position on the situation in Belarus!"
Protests also took place all around the world on Saturday in support of Belarusian women, ETV's "Aktuaalne kaamera" reported. Opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya took part in a march in Vilnius, Lithuania (Link in Lithuanian) carrying a red and white umbrella.
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Editor: Helen Wright
