Young Front (, МФ, ''MF'') is a

Belarus Belarus, officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by Russia to the east and northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Belarus spans an a ...

ian youth movement registered in the

Czech Republic The Czech Republic, also known as Czechia, and historically known as Bohemia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the south ...

, a member of the

European Democrat Students European Democrat Students (EDS) is a pan-European centre-right student and youth political association, and the official student organisation of the European People's Party. Founded in Vienna by Scandinavian, German and Austrian students in 196 ...

. , it was the largest youth organisation of Belarus declaring democratic orientation; a pro-Western, right-wing movement advocating

Christian A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a Monotheism, monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the wo ...

and

national-conservative National conservatism is a nationalism, nationalist variant of conservatism that concentrates on upholding National identity, national and cultural identity, communitarianism and the public role of religion. It shares aspects of traditionalist c ...

values, being due to it in permanent resolute opposition to the personal power regime of

Alexander Lukashenko Alexander Grigoryevich Lukashenko (also transliterated as Alyaksandr Ryhoravich Lukashenka; born 30 August 1954) is a Belarusian politician who has been the first and only president of Belarus since the office's establishment in 1994, making hi ...

. In 2022, the Belarusian authorities designated the organization as an

extremist Extremism is "the quality or state of being extreme" or "the advocacy of extreme measures or views". The term is primarily used in a political or religious sense to refer to an ideology that is considered (by the speaker or by some implied shar ...

formation, with the effect of Belarusian law criminalising participation in Young Front.

History

Young Front was founded in 1997 and initially began as a loose movement of independent youth. It brought together tens of youth initiatives and organizations under its umbrella. Over time, the Young Front has undergone significant development, evolving from a protest movement during the 1996–1997 period into a right-centrist organization, shaped by its political ideology. * I YF Congress was held on 6 September 1997;

Paval Sieviaryniec Paval Sieviaryniec (, born December 30, 1976) is a Belarusian journalist and Christian democratic politician and youth leader and one of the founders of the Young Front. Since June 7, 2020 he is under arrest. Amnesty International considers him ...

, Siahiej Paŭlenka, Alaksandar Asipcoŭ were elected to be co-Chairmen of the YF * II YF Congress held on 10 February 1999 elected Paval Sieviaryniec to be Chairman of the movement. * III Congress on 1 July 2000 reelected Paval Sieviaryniec to be YF Chairman and with adopting a program "Young Front of Changes", laid Christian principles and the national idea in the ideological foundation of organization. * IV congress on 19 June 2002 reelected Paval Sieviaryniec to be YF Chairman. * V YF Congress divided in two sessions, on 23 May 2004 and 23 January 2005, elected YF co-Chairmen Siarhiej Bachun and Źmicier Daškievič. * VI YF Congress held on 9 March 2008 adopted an updated strategy of the Young Front: Reformation of the Young Front, according to which the movement left the

United Democratic Forces of Belarus The United Democratic Forces of Belarus (; ) is a coalition of political parties that oppose the presidency of Alexander Lukashenko, who has been in power since 1994. It was the main opposition group during the 2006 Belarusian presidential elec ...

(UDF). The Congress elected Źmicier Daškievič to be a Chairman.

Aims and objectives

The guiding principles of the Young Front are the union and education of young people on the basis of the Belarusian national identity, Christian-democratic principles, a

civil society Civil society can be understood as the "third sector" of society, distinct from government and business, and including the family and the private sphere.Гісторыя
The main objectives of the Young Front are the realizing of social and creative initiatives among young people, mass and agitation activity in order to revive Belarusian schools, culture, language, and forming young peoples' responsibility for the future of Belarus.

Activity

The Young Front has about 1,000–1,500 activists in its ranks, incorporated in regional and district branches. The supreme body, the Congress, takes place at least once every two years. The organization is headed by the Sejm and the Office of the Young Front between the Congresses. The Young Front is a member of political youth international organizations such as

і the

Youth of the European People's Party Youth of the European People's Party (YEPP) is an umbrella organization of European political youth organisations and is the official youth wing of the European People's Party. YEPP brings together 64 centre-right youth political organisations fr ...

; has partnerships with sister organizations of Ukraine, Sweden, Lithuania, Poland and other countries. Since 1997 the Young Front has been holding a permanent socio-political campaign "The city is ours!" On important dates and on the eve of important events, the YF activists hang massive white-red-white national flags from roofs all over Belarus. The campaign actions of "The city is ours!" were held in many cities of Belarus – more than 2000 flags are hung all in all. As a result of active and successful activity in 1999 the Young Front has already a rating of popularity among young people of 10.8%, trailing only pro-governmental

Belarusian Republican Youth Union The Belarusian Republican Youth Union ( (БРСМ), (БРСМ, ''BRSM'')) is a youth club, youth organization in Belarus. Its goals are to promote patriotism and to instill morality, moral values into the youth of Belarus, using activities such ...

(48.3%) and BCM (25%). In 2000 at the parliamentary elections the Young Front held a boycott campaign under the title: "Forgery" – ridicule of electoral farce organized by Lukashenko. The Young Front during the presidential election campaign in 2001 became the organizer of the Belarusian Youth Congress, in which more than 520 delegates from each part of Belarus took place. It also initiated the signing of special Agreement between the only candidate from the opposition and the youth. During the presidential election campaign in 2001 the Young Front became a member of the mobilization campaign "Choose!" During the selection rush the Young Front made more than 1100 moves in more than 120 Belarusian cities. On 24 September 2001 the Young Front organized guard in the region of

Kurapaty Kurapaty (, ) is a wooded area on the outskirts of Minsk, Belarus, where a vast number of people were executed between 1937 and 1941 during the Great Purge by the Soviet secret police, the NKVD and in particular, during the Soviet repressions i ...

, being against the reconstruction of Minsk encircling highway, as it thought that a new road could pass the burials. More than 120 activists took part in eight months' move "Kurapaty’s Protection". According to the Baltic Service of Gallup Institute over October 2002, the rating of the Young Front among the whole population of Belarus was 6,3%, among the youth (18–30 age) – 14%, what's amazing is that all political parties have 0,5%–5% popularity, and "the factor of fear" in the society is very high. The members of the Young Front participated and won in local council elections (2003) in several districts, took part in the elections to the

House of Representatives of Belarus The House of Representatives of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus is the lower house of the parliament of Belarus, while the upper house is the Council of the Republic. It was established after the Constitution of Belarus was ...

in 2004, but without any success. The block Young Belarus, established by the Young Front was a part of the Committee of Democratic Political Forces, and then formed a part of the

. The activists of the Young Front collected more than 40,000 signatures against the holding of the referendum in 2004 concerning the remarks to the

constitution A constitution is the aggregate of fundamental principles or established precedents that constitute the legal basis of a polity, organization or other type of entity, and commonly determines how that entity is to be governed. When these pri ...

which lift restrictions for two presidencies. The Young Front organized a protest move at October Square (Kalinouskaga Square). Źmicier Daškievič, one of the leaders of the Young Front and Young Belarus was arrested and taken to prison for 10 days of the administrative arrest.

, one of the founders of the Young Front, the leader of Young Belarus was arrested for three years of so-called labour imprisonment for organizing unauthorized demonstrations on the day of the referendum and the next day. During the 2006 presidential election campaign, the Young Front was one of the organizers of the protests against the falsification of voting results, and also they organised "the encampment" at October Square in Minsk (20–24 March 2006). In June 2006, the members of the Young Front, deprecating the criminal persecution of activists of the organization, went on hunger strike, which became one of the longest and mass socio-political hunger strikes. It lasted for 24 days by more than 100 people. Some activists and leaders of the Young Front traced into the organizing committee of the establishment the Belarusian Christian Democratic Party. In 2008 the members of the Young Front held a number nationwide campaigns. Within the scope of social campaign "Belarusian Book – To Children" the activists of the Young Front collected thousands of Belarusian-language publications which later were given to orphanages in Minsk and other Belarusian cities. Also the things and money which had been collected at the Christmas festival "Hurry To Do Good" in which many prominent Belarusian musicians and socio-political figures participated were handed to orphanages and boarding schools. From 7 to 10 December 2008, the Young Front carried out a campaign "Communism before a tribunal" which was finished by a daylong fast. During the campaign the Young Front organized dozens of anticommunist pickets and informational moves in whole Belarus, held extensive social-scientific conference "The Crimes of Communism. Numbers and Facts". In 2008 during the campaign "MTS in Belarusian", firstly started by the Saligorsk blogger, fascinated people addressed a range of letters and e-mails to the headquarters of presentation of "MTS" in Belarus. In response the mobile operator created a Belarusian-language version of website. Later the activists handed the headquarters of the company more than 2500 signs for the Belarusification of the MTS. As a result, customer support service in Belarusian appeared on the receivers of telephone subscribers. The Young Front is the leader of political street resistant movement, organizing dozens of street protests annually. The most known one among them is a traditional move

St. Valentine's Day Valentine's Day, also called Saint Valentine's Day or the Feast of Saint Valentine, is celebrated annually on February 14. It originated as a Christian feast day honoring a martyr named Valentine, and through later folk traditions it ha ...

. Since its existence the organization carried out dozens of national socio-political campaigns, the most famous of which are the following: "The Move of Love" "The City is Ours", "Belarus to Europe", "Elections", "Choose!", "No to the Third Time", "We Want the New", "Boycott 2008", "Communism Before a Tribunal", "Belarusian Book – To Children", "Christmas Festival". In the

2011 protests Eleven or 11 may refer to: *11 (number) * One of the years 11 BC, AD 11, 1911, 2011 Literature * ''Eleven'' (novel), a 2006 novel by British author David Llewellyn *''Eleven'', a 1970 collection of short stories by Patricia Highsmith *''Eleven'' ...

following Lukashenko's disputed 2010 re-election, Daškievič and Eduard Łobaŭ were both arrested for assault. The two were sentenced to two years' and four years'

hard labor ''Hard Labor'' is the eleventh album by American rock band Three Dog Night, released in 1974. For this album, the band replaced long-time producer Richard Podolor with Jimmy Ienner, who was known for his production work with the Raspberries ...

, respectively. They were subsequently named

prisoners of conscience A prisoner of conscience (POC) is anyone imprisoned because of their race, sexual orientation, religion, or political views. The term also refers to those who have been imprisoned or persecuted for the nonviolent expression of their conscienti ...

Amnesty International Amnesty International (also referred to as Amnesty or AI) is an international non-governmental organization focused on human rights, with its headquarters in the United Kingdom. The organization says that it has more than ten million members a ...

Controversy

On 25 March 2014 activists of ''Young Front'' participated in a demonstration with a transparent praising Ukrainian and Belarusian nationalist leaders who in various extent collaborated with

Nazi Germany Nazi Germany, officially known as the German Reich and later the Greater German Reich, was the German Reich, German state between 1933 and 1945, when Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party controlled the country, transforming it into a Totalit ...

during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

Stepan Bandera Stepan Andriyovych Bandera (, ; ; 1 January 1909 – 15 October 1959) was a Ukrainian far-right leader of the radical militant wing of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists, the OUN-B. Bandera was born in Austria-Hungary, in Galicia (Eas ...

Michał Vituška Michal Apanasavič Vituška (; , ''Mikhail Afanasyevich Vitushko''; ; 5 November 1907 – 7 January 1945) was a Belarusian leader of the ''Black Cats'', a unit of the ''SS-Jagdverbände'', during World War II.Perry Biddiscombe: The SS Hunter Batt ...

Roman Shukhevych Roman-Taras Osypovych Shukhevych (, also known by his pseudonym, Tur and Taras Chuprynka; 30 June 1907 – 5 March 1950) was a Ukrainian nationalism, Ukrainian nationalist and a military leader of the nationalist Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) ...

Vincent Hadleŭski Vincent Hadleŭski (, ; November 16, 1888 – December 24, 1942) was a Belarusian Roman Catholic priest, publicist and politician. During World War II he was arrested by the German police on December 24, 1942, and executed in Maly Trostenets exter ...

. This had led to protests of the Russian ambassador.

Opposition to Lukashenko’s regime

Since 2005 the Young Front applied for registration five times from the Ministry of Justice, but it was rejected five times.http://belfreedom.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=53:minsk-authorities-refused-young-front-premises-for-congress&catid=1:newsfrombelarus&Itemid=3&lang=us The members of the organization believe that the authorities deliberately do not register the organization in order not to have leverages of pressure on the activists by means of unconstitutional article 193-1 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus (sharing in the organization with no carried-out registration). Within the scope of the campaign of resistance to criminal persecution for the activity in the unregistered organization the members of the Young Front registered their own organization in

, the documents have been submitted for the registration to

Lithuania Lithuania, officially the Republic of Lithuania, is a country in the Baltic region of Europe. It is one of three Baltic states and lies on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea, bordered by Latvia to the north, Belarus to the east and south, P ...

, planning to get official status in

Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It extends from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Sudetes and Carpathian Mountains in the south, bordered by Lithuania and Russia to the northeast, Belarus and Ukrai ...

and

Ukraine Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the List of European countries by area, second-largest country in Europe after Russia, which Russia–Ukraine border, borders it to the east and northeast. Ukraine also borders Belarus to the nor ...

. The activists of the Young Front regularly take part in unauthorized demonstrations, during which most of them are arrested by the police. The leaders of the organization and its ordinary members run the administrative persecution, the most prevailing of which are the arrest (till 25 days) and fines. Some of them were condemned; the most famous are the following – Alaksiej Šydłoŭski,

Vadzim Łabkovič Vadzim () is a Belarusian masculine given name, an equivalent of Russian Vadim and Ukrainian Vadym. Notable people with the name include: *Vadzim Boyka (born 1978), Belarusian footballer *Vadzim Dzemidovich (born 1985), Belarusian footballer *Vad ...

, Pavał Mažejka,

Artur Fińkievič Artur is a cognate to the common male given name Arthur meaning "bear-like", or “of honour”. It is believed to possibly be descended from the Roman surname Artorius or the Celtic bear-goddess Artio or more probably from the Celtic word ''a ...

, Źmicier Daškievič. After the presidential election campaign the criminal cases on Źmicier Daškievič, Siarhiej Lisičonak, Barys Harecki and

Aleh Korban Aleh is a transliteration from Belarusian Алег of the Eastern Slavic name Oleg. It is sometimes spelled as "Aleg". Notable people with the name include: Surname * Jo Aleh (born 1986), New Zealand sailor, national champion, world champion, Olym ...

were opened by Article 193-1 (establishment and management of public association, religious association or political party, which infringe on personality, rights and duties of man and did not get official registration). According to the criminal case the leader of the Young Front Źmicier Daškievič was condemned for a year and a half of general regime colony (1 November 2006). During a year other leaders and activists of the Young Front were condemned by this article: Ivan Šyła, Nasta Pałažanka, Źmicier Chviedaruk, Alaksiej Janušeŭski,

, Barys Harecki,

Nasta Azarka Student television in the United Kingdom is the act of students from universities and colleges around the United Kingdom producing and publishing video content independently, operating in a similar fashion to a small television station. Student ...

, Jarasłaŭ Hryščenia, Kaciaryna Sałaŭjova,

Edward Zielankoŭ Edward is an English male name. It is derived from the Anglo-Saxon name ''Ēadweard'', composed of the elements '' ēad'' "wealth, fortunate; prosperous" and '' weard'' "guardian, protector”. History The name Edward was very popular in Anglo-S ...

. They were punished with fines or warnings. Some criminal proceedings were brought by the same article and did not come to trial. The criminal cases were brought on the following: Kiryl Atamančyk, Andrej Cianiuta, Arsień Jahorčanka, Siarhiej Hudzilin, Jaŭhien Vaŭkaviec, Alaksandar Čarejka. The leader of the Young Front in town Žodzin Pavał Krasoŭski was suspected of complicity in explosions in

Vitebsk Vitebsk or Vitsyebsk (, ; , ; ) is a city in northern Belarus. It serves as the administrative center of Vitebsk Region and Vitebsk District, though it is administratively separated from the district. As of 2025, it has 358,927 inhabitants, m ...

and committing two homicides. He was taken to investigative isolation ward, and in a month Pavał Krasoŭski was released for complete lack of evidence. The members of the Young Front and Belarusian community consider that their friends are condemned for reasons of policy for their opposition activity. The organization held sympathetic actions with the condemned and also with those who found themselves under the criminal persecution. In solidarity with the Young Front such outstanding politicians as

Alaksandar Milinkievič Alaksandar Uładzimieravič Milinkievič (, , born 25 July 1947) is a Belarusian politician. He was nominated by the leading opposition parties in Belarus to run against incumbent Alexander Lukashenko in the 2006 presidential election. Biography ...

Anatol Labiedźka Anatoly Vladimirovich Lebedko ( ; ; born 27 June 1961) is a Belarusian politician and pro-democracy activist who is currently the head of the United Civic Party, an Belarusian opposition, opposition party. Life Born in the village of , the ...

. After the discharge Alaksandar Kazulin became an honorable member of the Young Front. Due to strong campaign of solidarity with the chairman of the Young Front Źmicier Daškievič he was discharged for 1.5 months before the given time. Mentioning the willingness "to sacrifice personal freedom, health and even life in the name of his own ideals" Belarusian daily newspaper ''Nasha Niva'' named Źmicier Daškievič "The Man of 2007". The activists of the movement believe that the aforesaid is the proof of the fact that the Belarusian regime suffered a defeat in the trials to bring to a stop the youth movement.

Notes

External links

* {{Authority control Belarusian nationalism Christian democratic parties in Europe Politics of Belarus Youth organizations based in Belarus Anti-communist organizations