Malady Front
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Malady Front (Belarusian: Малады Фронт, also called Young Front) is an unregistered national-democratic youth organisation in Belarus that is in strong opposition to the presidency Alexander Lukashenko.
Primarily created as a youth branch of the Belarusian Popular Front in 1996, the Malady Front soon started acting independently during the mass protests after Belarusian referendum, 1996. After split of the BPF into Partyja BNF and the Conservative Christian Party it established itself as an independent organisation.
In late 1990's Malady Front became known for organising numerous events promoting democracy, Christian values, Belarusian language, Belarusian national symbols (Pahonia and the white-red-white national banner), integration of Belarus to the EU.
Malady Front is ideologically close to moderate-nationalist Partyja BNF and the more radical Conservative Christian Party. There is a more important role of religion in MF's activity. The political prisoner Paval Sieviaryniec who was the founder of Malady Front is currently working on creation of a Christian democratic party.
Malady Front is a member organisation of the Youth of the European People's Party
In the past there have been tensions with the Belarusian state. Former and current leaders of the MF, Paval Sieviaryniec and Zmitser Dashkevich, were jailed for different reasons including the newly introduced to Belarusian legislation as criminal "participation in the activity of a non-registered organisation". Amnesty International considers them as being prisoners of conscience.[1]
