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Protests continue in Belarus against President Lukashenko. Once again, numerous people gathered for decentralized demonstrations and the security authorities reacted harshly. Around 300 people were arrested.
Almost four months after the presidential elections in Belarus, opponents of the government again protested against the ruler Alexander Lukashenko. According to local media, there were several dozen meeting places for protests in Minsk and other cities. Videos posted on online networks showed small groups of protesters gathered in backyards while others marched through the capital Minsk, carrying red and white flags.
It is the 18th consecutive Sunday that there are protests. In contrast to the central mass protests shortly after the August 9 elections, the opposition is now trying to thwart the strategy of the violent security forces with many small demonstrations.
“Don’t close your eyes to crime”
“Each march is a reminder that Belarusians will not surrender. We will not allow our rights to be taken away from us and we will close our eyes to crimes,” wrote opposition politician Svetlana Tichanovskaya, who lives in exile in Lithuania, on the Telegram news service.
The opposition accuses Lukashenko of having won a sixth term in the presidential elections through fraud and manipulation. According to official results, he won by a wide margin over the popular Tichanovskaya.
Water cannons and civilian patrols
As on previous Sundays, today there have been numerous arrests. The police patrolled the streets in civilian vehicles to locate the protesters. Water cannons were deployed. Minsk police said that around 300 people had been arrested in the capital.
Once again, the cellular network was slowed down, access to networks like the Telegram app was restricted, and underground stations were cordoned off.
Reports of torture
At the height of the protests against Lukashenko, more than 100,000 people took to the streets of Minsk every Sunday. Security forces repeatedly used force against protesters.
The police arrested thousands of people, many of whom reported torture and abuse during their detention. At least four people died during the demonstrations or after their arrest, the number of unreported cases is likely to be higher.
