Belarus' parliament on Wednesday outlawed the "silent" protests that have swept across the country in recent months as it struggles to overcome a financial crisis.
Belarus devalued its ruble by 36 percent in May, pushing consumer prices up and prompting thousands of Belarussians to protest.
Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko has described such rallies as part of a plot to overthrow his government. Police have routinely dispersed such protests and arrested hundreds of participants.
Amendments to the law approved on Wednesday classify any "mass presence of people in a public place agreed beforehand … aimed at performing actions agreed beforehand or inaction ?€¦ to express political views or protest" as picketing that requires official approval.
The protests, usually coordinated through social networking web sites, took place at least once a week for most of the summer.
Participants would gather in agreed locations without any banners and just stand silently or clap in unison. By September, however, the protests had mostly died out.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.