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After the controversial Belarusian President Lukashenko took office again, protests in the streets have broken out again. The police were brutal and there were numerous arrests.
Several thousand people demonstrated in Minsk, the Belarusian capital, against the swearing in of the Head of State, Alexander Lukashenko. Police used water cannons against protesters at night, as reported by various news agencies. Dozens of people were arrested, shouting, among other things, “Viva Bielorrusia” and “Get off”.
Videos could be seen of how the security forces positioned themselves in the streets, pushing the protesters back and pushing them away. Some shouted “Sascha, come out, we will congratulate you”, alluding to the abbreviated form of Lukashenko’s name. The police were brutal and several people were injured.
In the morning, the swearing-in ceremony of the former ruler had taken place without prior notice at the Minsk Independence Palace. Unlike in the past, the ceremony was not broadcast on state television. The Belarusian authorities apparently wanted to avoid further protests.
The election in Belarus more than six weeks ago is not recognized by any EU country due to accusations of massive counterfeiting. According to the official result, the 66-year-old head of state of the former Soviet republic is said to have been re-elected with 80.1 percent of the vote. The opposition sees Svetlana Tichanovskaya as the winner of the vote. The authoritarian ruler Lukashenko has been in power for more than 20 years.
Even after Lukashenko was sworn in again, Tichanovskaya declared herself the only legitimate president of the Belarusian people. “This supposed inauguration is, of course, a sham,” said the exiled politician in Lithuania. “In fact, Lukashenko just retired today.” The country’s power apparatus can no longer carry out Lukashenko’s orders. Pavel Latuschko of the opposition Coordination Council called the inauguration a “gathering of thieves for the coronation of a high-ranking clan king.”
Lukashenko described the protests against him in his swearing-in speech as an “unprecedented challenge to our statehood.” Your country needs security and unity. “I cannot, I have no right to leave Belarusians alone.”
In Berlin, government spokesman Steffen Seibert declared that the president’s swearing-in ceremony “had no standing.” The presidential elections on August 9 were neither free nor democratic. Furthermore, the violence of the security forces against peaceful protesters must stop immediately, political prisoners must be released and a national dialogue with the opposition must begin.
In Moscow, Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov declined to comment on the inauguration. This is “a sovereign internal decision of the Belarusian leaders.” Until now, Lukashenko has always been able to count on the support of Russia.
With information from WDR correspondent Stephan Laack.
