Eurovision organisers are under pressure to consider the presence of Belarus at this year's contest amid controversy over their choice of representative.
The country has been ruled by president Alexander Lukashenko since the post was established in 1994, although his re-election last summer in a landslide vote has been heavily disputed, resulting in widespread protests and numerous arrests.
Belarus's original pick for this year's contest in Rotterdam, the group VAL, were dropped by state broadcaster BTRC after they expressed support for the protests and were later replaced by pro-Lukashenko group Galasy ZMesta.
Asked about his support for violence against protestors, Galasy ZMesta singer Dmitri Butakov is reported to have said: "This is my opinion. I express it, as I do. Do I have the right to do so? Whoever doesn't like it - go fuck off. Listen to other songs. And we just sing our own."
Eurovision fans have launched a petition calling on the European Broadcasting Union to exclude Belarus from the contest due to the apparently-political nature of Galasy ZMesta's selection and also their choice of song, 'Ya Nauchu Tebya (I'll Teach You)', which they say "obviously has a political subtext".
The petition has garnered more than 1,600 signatures in its first 24 hours.
Neil Wilkes
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