Ever since the election a couple of weeks ago, where incumbent President Alexander Lukashenko received 80 percent of the vote, there has been unrest in the country with large demonstrations, arrests in the thousands and violence.
Both the EU and the US have rejected the election result and are considering sanctions.
- We have decided to go to Minsk over the match day and will go back immediately after the match, says the Helsinki club's chairman, the former major player Jari Kurri, to the club's website.
Finnish Minister of Sports welcomes the trip
- We have been in close contact with Dynamo to hear if we could play the match and follow the game program, says Kurri about the contact with Belarus.
Finnish Sports Minister Annika Saarikko has called on the Joker to reconsider its decision.
Several heavy sports bodies in Finland also demand that Jokerit stay at home.
- The biggest problem is that the journey can be turned into a propaganda victory.
Lukashenko can show this to the supporters who remain and say: Look, not everyone is against us, says Thomas Karv, PhD in political science, to Hufvudstadsbladet.