It was first held in 1989 with demands of urgent efforts in eliminating the consequences of the catastrophe. That year, about 30,000 participants marched from the Minsk Watch Plant through the downtown to the
Independence Square and held a rally there. In 1996, the largest Chernobyl Way took place in Minsk marking the 10th anniversary of the
Chernobyl disaster. It was the first Chernobyl Way during
Lukashenko's presidency. About 50,000 people gathered near the Academy of Sciences and marched on
Independence Avenue, the main street of Minsk. There were many clashes with the police, the demonstrators were dispersed by
OMON, and many political activists protesting against Lukashenko’s regime were detained. Among those detained were journalists and opposition leaders, namely Yury Khadyka,
Lyavon Barshchewski, Viachaslau Siuchyk and
Vincuk Viačorka. After this rally opposition leader
Zianon Pazniak left the country. Staff of the
Maksim Bahdanovič Literary Museum started helping the arrested and their families, and this is how the
Viasna Human Rights Center was created. ==References==