Sunday’s protests took place under the slogan “National inauguration of the real president” – the real head of state is, according to Lukashenko’s opponents, the opposition candidate in the August elections, Sviatlana Cichanouska.
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Protesters are responding to Lukashenko’s recent inauguration. The long-term Belarusian leader took the presidential oath on September 23, although many Belarusians, as well as Czech diplomacy and the European Union (EU), consider the result of the August elections to be falsified. The opposition considers Cichanouska to be the real winner of the election.
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Detention of a protester in Minsk
Foto: AP Photo / TUT.by, ČTK / AP
In the capital, police detained at least ten people and, according to activists, at least 53 people ended up in custody across the country, Reuters reported.
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In Minsk today, a protest procession passed, among other things, along the Mašerava roundabout. According to the AFP agency, about 50,000 people gathered for the demonstration, Belarusian analyst Franak Viačorka speaks of a double number. Some chanted the slogan Sv Saints (Svjatlana Cichanouská – note red) is the President ”.
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On Sunday, people gathered again in front of a monument to soldiers killed in World War II. Belarus has been protesting against rigged elections for 50 days.
Foto: AP Photo / TUT.by, ČTK / AP
The video from the Tut.by server shows how the crowd parted to let an ambulance pass. The driver showed a “V” gesture to the protesters, which became one of the symbols of the protests against Lukashenko.
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Intervention of security forces in Grodno (Hrodn). A police officer sprays pepper spray on an unarmed man who has defended a detained demonstrator.
Photo: Belapan, Reuters
People also demonstrated in other Belarusian cities. In Gomel (Homel) or Mohylova in the east of the country, according to the AFP agency, the police dispersed the protesters with tear gas and flash grenades. According to the DPA, information also appeared about the deployment of water works.
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Police also cracked down on protesters in Grodno. Security forces detained several dozen people. Several citizens gathered in front of the police station to ask for information about their loved ones. It was also demonstrated in Soligorsk (Salihorsk)
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Video: Demonstration in Soligorsk (Salihorsk)
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According to the Belarusian Interior Ministry, 150 people ended up in custody on Saturday. Authorities said 116 of them would remain in custody until a possible violation of the law was heard in court.
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Among Saturday’s detainees are mostly women who took part in a women’s protest. According to the media, the protesters were forcibly taken away and forced by members of the security forces to board the minibuses without any signs.
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The Czechia does not recognize the legitimacy of the presidential elections in Belarus, in which the long-time ruler of the country, Alexander Lukashenko, declared himself the winner.
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“Elections in Belarus have not been free and fair. That is why their results are not legitimate, that is why the inauguration of Alexander Lukashenko is not legitimate. Belarusian civil society has the full support of the Czech Republic. Belarusians deserve freedom, “wrote the head of Czech diplomacy Tomáš Petříček.
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Russian and Lukashenka’s propagandists repeat the same: the protest is fading out. But it doesn’t seem to be true. 2 hours ago it was a few thousand, now the crowd is huge. Chants are getting more and more aggressive towards Luka, he is being called “the rat” now. pic.twitter.com/JjsALe7xmL
– Franc Viačorka (@franakviacorka) September 27, 2020
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The inauguration for Lukashenko’s sixth term took place despite mass protests that erupted in the country in response to the non-standard election process.
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Widespread protests in Belarus erupted on Sunday, August 9. Opposition candidate Sviatlana Cichanouska refused to acknowledge the victory of incumbent President Lukashenko, which was announced by official authorities. He considers the results to be falsified. The opposition assumes that the candidate actually won at least 70 percent of the vote.
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In Grodno, security forces took aggressive action against the peaceful protest.
Photo: Belapan, Reuters
For the first five days, police brutally intervened with protesters using batons, flash grenades, rubber bullets, and in some places sharp fire. Thousands of people were detained, including casual passers-by. Authorities confirmed several dead.
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Later, the authorities allowed the demonstrations to run more freely, but in recent days they have tightened again. For a time, they did not intervene against the women at the forefront of the current protests. However, this attitude has changed in recent days.
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