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The Belarusian opposition to the dictatorial regime of Alexander Lukashenko celebrates Freedom Day annually. The protests in Belarus are regularly accompanied by mass detention and torture of the protesters.[3][4] The government does not recognize Freedom Day claiming that the Belarusian Democratic Republic was created by the Germans, which occupied Belarus in 1918 and with Lukashenko describing it as a "dismal page in our history".[5] However, since the 2018 event which marked the centenary of the BDR, the authorities have somewhat rolled back some the crackdowns and criticism - in 2018 authorities granted a permission to organize a ceremony and concert in Minsk with 11,000 attendants, and in 2019 events in Minsk and the regions took place without large-scale repression.[5][6]
In 2020, Belarusian musician Źmicier Vajciuškievič [be] created a song commemorated to the day and named it 25aha sakavika.[7]
On May 16, 2024, the Investigative Committee of Belarus announced that criminal cases had been opened against participants of the 2024 emigrant celebrations under articles of the criminal code on the creation of an extremist group and participation in it and on discrediting the Republic of Belarus. The Investigative Committee announced that it has information about 104 persons who participated in the celebration of Freedom Day in various cities abroad, and also announced searches, seizures of property and proceedings in absentia against the suspects.[10]
