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EPA
Opposition groups called for Mr Lukashenko to resign
Officials in Belarus have withdrawn the accreditation of a number of journalists reporting on post-election protests for foreign media outlets.
Two journalists with the BBC’s Russian service were among those affected.
It comes on the heels of a massive protest expected on Sunday.
In a statement, the BBC said: “This repression of independent journalism is condemned in the strongest terms.”
He called on the Belarussian government to reverse its decision.
“We believe that the people of Belarus must obtain impartial, independent information about what is happening in their country. BBC Russian, which reaches more than five million people a week, is a major source for the people of Belarus and He said.
Government spokeswoman Anatoly Glaz told the AFP news agency that the action had been taken following a recommendation from the country’s anti-terrorism unit.
The Austrian Foreign Ministry called the action against journalists an innocent attempt to suppress the objective report.
At least 10 local and several Russian journalists lost their credibility on Saturday, with other outlets affected, including Radio Liberty, AFP, Reuters, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal and Deutsche Welle.
The announcement came days after several journalists, including a BBC team, were detained in Minsk before the protests.
The home ministry said they were taken to a police station for identity verification. However, the BBC’s Steve Rosenberg, who was among those detained, said it was “a clear attempt to interfere in the coverage of events”.
What is the background?
The unrest in Belarus was sparked by an election believed to have been rigged in favor of President Alexander Lukashenko since 1994.
The leading opposition candidate, Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, fled to Lithuania following the vote and then called for protests.
The country has seen unprecedented protests and workers have walked out on major industries in the state. Thousands have been arrested and numerous reports of police brutality have been received.
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At least four people have been killed and hundreds injured.
The European Union and the U.S. It is among those who reject elections for free or fair. The European Union (EU) is preparing a resolution against officials in which it accuses Mr Lukashenko of failing to deliver a victory and of trying to break the opposition movement.
