In the Belarusian capital, Minsk, security forces on Sunday used tear gas and noise grenades at people protesting against the regime of authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko.
The human rights organization Vyasna (“Spring”) reported that dozens of people had been detained.
About 15 metro stations have been closed in Minsk and internet services have been disrupted, AFP reported.
Protests against the rigging of the presidential election have continued in Belarus since 9 August. More than 13,000 people have been detained and several hundred injured during the protests. Major protests usually take place on Sundays.
The European Union (EU) has imposed sanctions on those responsible for falsifying the results of the presidential elections in Belarus and suppressing protests.
A large-scale demonstration also took place in Minsk on Friday as thousands took to the streets to commemorate opposition activist Raman Bandarenka, who died this week.
Bandarenka, 31, was taken to hospital after being beaten by security forces in Minsk, the independent TV channel Belsat and other Belarusian media reported on Thursday, citing the deceased’s family. He went to life in the hospital.
Belarusian opposition leader Svyatlan Cihanouska today called on the international community to support protesters in Belarus.
“We call on our allies to stand up for the Belarusian people and human rights. We need humanitarian corridors for the wounded, support for the media, international investigations into crimes,” Cihanouska wrote on Twitter.
Demonstrations against the Lukashenko regime have killed at least four people since August, and the EU condemned Bandarenko’s death on Friday and warned Minsk of imposing new sanctions.
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