[ad_1]
MINSK – One of the opposition leaders in Belarus, activist Maria Kolesnikova, was allegedly “kidnapped” by masked men in Minsk on Monday, according to witnesses and the opposition coordinating council. In addition, more than 600 people were arrested on Sunday when some 100,000 protesters took to the streets of the country to demand the resignation of President Alexander Lukashenko and call new elections.
Belarusian Nobel Prize:“At any time you can knock on the door and come arrest me,” says Svetlana Aleksiévitch.
Kolesnikova is one of the few opposition leaders who has not yet left Belarus; In early August, the police briefly detained her. According to statements heard by her team, the activist was placed inside a vehicle on Monday. The coordinating council, of which the opponent is a member, also said that she and two allies have not answered the phone since.
Lukashenko’s main opponent, Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, who is based in Lithuania, accused the Belarusian authorities of practicing a policy of “terror”:
– You’re wrong if you think this will stop us. The more they intimidate, the more people will take to the streets.
Wanted by the AFP news agency, the Interior Ministry said it had no information about an alleged arrest of Kolesnikova and her supporters.
The information about his capture comes a day after more than 100,000 people took to the streets of Minsk in demonstrations against Lukashenko, despite the strong presence of the security forces and the army.
“In total, 633 people were arrested yesterday [domingo] for breaking the law during the demonstrations, “the Interior Ministry said in a statement.
Also according to the agency, 363 people remain in provisional prison, awaiting an analysis by the courts.
This is the highest number of people arrested during an opposition rally since the protests began, following Lukashenko’s controversial re-election on August 9. Amid complaints of electoral fraud, he declared himself victorious in the elections with more than 80% of the votes.
International response:Baltic countries announce sanctions against Lukashenko and pressure the EU
The result is contested by Tikhanovskaya, its main competitor. Despite having mobilized the largest anti-government movement since the Soviet collapse in 1991, it obtained only 10% of the vote in the official count, but claims to have been the real winner.
According to international monitoring organizations, Belarus has not had free elections since the 1990s.
On Sunday, men with their faces covered, in civilian clothes and armed with truncheons were seen in the center of the capital chasing protesters.
European Commission spokesman Peter Stano said it was “unacceptable that the authorities continued to repress the civilian population, peaceful protesters and political militants.”
Censorship:Belarus withdraws credentials of journalists covering protests for foreign media
The opposition council, created to lead the transition of power and call new elections, has been declared unconstitutional by Lukashenko and is the subject of criminal proceedings. Several Tikhanovskaya allies also fled the country after receiving threats. The persecution also extends to the media: this week, a group of masked men dressed in black arrested two prominent television presenters who had supported the protests, Denis Dudinsky and Dimitri Kojno.
On Saturday night, a state channel showed Dudinsky and Kojno acknowledging their “mistake” by participating in “illegal marches.” In a statement that, for the allies, they were forced to do, they assure that “there will be consequences, and they may not be as mild as they think”, for those who participated in the rallies. Both are serving a prison sentence of 10 days.
Arrested journalists
Several journalists have been arrested in recent days – including this Sunday, when riot police detained, among others, a journalist who was covering the protests live for a radio station. Other professionals were deprived of the necessary accreditation to work in the country. Last week, dozens of students were arrested inside a university building, where an act against Lukashenko had been organized.
Since Russia made displays of support more visible, Lukashenko has clung to power even more. In exchange for the aid, he seems willing to go ahead with the agreement signed with Russia 20 years ago, which, until now, he viewed with fear because his dependence on the Kremlin will increase. Few analysts doubt that the Belarusian will eventually make concessions and accept not only energy deals that benefit Minsk little, but also tax deals or the extension – and even extension – of two military installations that Russia has in the neighboring country.
Analyze:Russia begins to consider life without Lukashenko in Belarus and could benefit from seeking opposition
Lukashenko, for his part, insists that the protests are mobilized by foreign forces and both he and the Kremlin speak of “interference.” Western countries, for their part, view the movements with caution: there are disagreements within the European bloc on the severity of the sanctions that will be imposed on Minsk, as it is feared that a too harsh response will put Belarus in orbit around Moscow.
Seeking to pressure the European Union, the Baltic states (Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania) and Poland last week announced sanctions against Lukashenko and 29 other officials of the Russian regime. Belarus, for its part, sent troops to its borders, facing an alleged threat from NATO, something denied by the alliance.
