Stop The Terrorism: Time Now For Real Democracy In Belarus

"Sitting us up straight at the end and reminding us of Soviet life's depressive effects was Alfred Schnittke's Violin Concerto No. 3. Tortured, trilling solos, handsomely played here by Augustin Hadelich, are accompanied by a small woodwind-driven orchestra. There are moments of Schnittke's found-object style in the slight distortions of old-fashioned chord progressions."

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Alexander Lukashenko has run Belarus, a former Soviet republic, with an iron fist since 1994.

Political tensions have been rising in Belarus since December, when a massive demonstration against yet another disputed presidential election sparked a harsh crackdown by police in which more than 700 people were arrested, including seven presidential candidates.

Photo credits: (c) James Hill/New York Times 2005; (c) Anton Motolko/Reuters 2011; and Sergei Grits/AP 2011. All rights reserved.