In the Belarusian capital Minsk, according to the police, at least 300 demonstrators were arrested in a protest against President Lukashenko. As on every Sunday since the August elections, Belarusians took to the streets in various cities to demand Lukashenko’s resignation. The human rights organization Viasna says it has registered more than 200 names of detainees.
In the capital, thousands of protesters gathered in different residential areas. They participated in protest marches in various places in the city. With this new strategy, the activists are trying to make it difficult for the riot police. Previously, there were massive protests in the city center of Minsk, and agents were able to surround and transport the demonstrators.
Water cannons, military trucks and armored vehicles were set up in the center of the city. A number of metro stations were closed and access to the internet was limited. Among the detainees are four Belarusian journalists, the journalists’ association says.
Eighteenth Sunday protest
Eighteen consecutive Sundays, there has been massive protests against the president, who has led the country since 1994. Lukashenko was re-elected in the August 9 elections, but according to the opposition, there was fraud at the polls and opposition leader Tikhanovskaya won. Demonstrations have seen deaths and injuries in recent months and a total of some 30,000 protesters have been arrested.
The West does not recognize Lukashenko’s re-election and the EU has sanctioned the Belarusian elite. Russian President Putin, a major pillar of Lukashenko, is pushing for a dialogue with the opposition to find a solution to the political crisis.
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