Minsk Belarus protest video

(Ed.: Blogger has been glitchy recently so please be patient with postings, as they may be sporadic.)

Outside of the Central Asian republics, Belarus probably has the most autocratic regime among the former Soviet Republics.  As the Belarusian economy goes into free fall, young people using social networks organized a silent rally in one of the capital's squares.  Protestors gathered and simply clapped their hands in unison.

Well, the government goons rounded them up and stuffed them into paddy wagons.  Though these short videos show no violence, they are chilling.

Also, look for a crackdown in China as we approach the 90th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese Communist Party (July 1) and the second anniversary of the Xinjiang riots (July 5).