Belarusians continue to protest against longtime President Lukashenko in Minsk. A human rights organization said Sunday that more than 200 people were arrested.
Thousands of people took to the streets to demand Lukashenko’s resignation. According to human rights watchdog Vesna-96, 205 people were detained despite attempts by activists to disperse the protests to avoid police.
Protest rallies have been held weekly in Belarus since the disputed August 9 presidential election. Key opposition leaders have been detained or forced to flee as longtime leader Lukashenko retains power in what international observers see as an unfair or opaque election. The protests have resulted in more than 7,500 arrests and police violence against demonstrators.
The street protests regained momentum after the death of a 31-year-old anti-government protester earlier this month. Activists say he was severely beaten by security forces during a rally.
Lukashenko, who has been in power for 26 years, has refused calls to step down. Lukashenko insists he won the election by a landslide, garnering 80 percent of the vote, despite widespread claims at home and abroad that the election was heavily rigged to allow him to remain in power.
Recent Comments