In Lithuania, about 50,000 people are expected to join a human chain that stretches from Vilnius, the nation’s capital, to the Belarusian border to show solidarity with the protests, Lithuanian public radio and television reported ( LRT).
Lithuanian opposition supporters hold and wave historic Belarusian flags during the “Freedom Road”, a human chain of about 50,000 strong from Vilnius to the Belarusian border, at Medininkai, Lithuanian-Belarusian border crossing from Vilnius, Lithuania, Sunday, Aug. 23, 2020. On August 23, 1989, approximately 2 million Lithuanians, Latvians, and Estonians joined forces in a living 600 km (375 mile) long human chain Baltic Way, demonstrating their desire to liberate being. Now Lithuania is expressing solidarity with the people of Belarus, who are fighting for freedom today. (AP Photo / Mindaugas Kulbis)
The show of support will avoid the famous Baltic road, when more than a million people formed a human chain that stretched across Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia to put an end to the Soviet occupation. The event also falls on the 21st anniversary of the Baltic Road.
Belarussian opposition supporters from Lithuania hold and wave historic Belarusian flags during the “Freedom Road”, a human chain of about 50,000 strong from Vilnius to the Belarusian border, during a protest at Medininkai, the Lithuanian-Belarusian Russian border crossing from Vilnius, Lithuania, Sunday, August 23, 2020. On August 23, 1989, approximately 2 million Lithuanians, Latvians and Estonians joined forces in a live 600 km (375 mile) long human chain Baltic Way, expressing their desire to liberate demonstrate. Now Lithuania is expressing solidarity with the people of Belarus, who are fighting for freedom today. (AP Photo / Mindaugas Kulbis)
“Freedom is not only a fundamental human right but also the fundamental right of a nation,” said Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda. “It is also a daily promise to defend it against any attempt there by those who will replace freedom with darkness, oppression and fear.”
People hold hands, historic white-red-white flags of Belarus and flowers as they join a “Freedom Way”, a human chain of about 50,000 strong from Vilnius to the Belarusian border, during a protest at Medininkai, Lithuanian -Belarusian border crossing east of Vilnius, Lithuania, Sunday, August 23, 2020. On August 23, 1989, some 2 million Lithuanians, Latvians and Estonians joined forces in a live 600 km (375 mile) human chain Baltic Way, and demonstrated thereby their desire to be free. Now Lithuania is expressing solidarity with the people of Belarus, who are fighting for freedom today. (AP Photo / Mindaugas Kulbis)
“Today is the time for our Belarussian brothers to say their favorite word ‘Freedom’.”
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Belarusians have gathered in Minsk in unusual numbers to demand the resignation of President Alexander Lukashenko, who won a sixth term on August 9 after receiving 80% of the vote. Since the results, a “wake-up call from Belarus” has taken place, with hundreds of thousands of protesters and workers at state-controlled companies going on strike.
The situation has grown so serious that Lukashenko has taken to carrying a gun outside his home, according to AP News.
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The protests have aroused support in Europe, with leaders speaking out in solidarity with the citizens of Belarus, and refusing to accept the results of the elections. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has also raised concerns about the thousands of arrests that have taken place, as well as missing Protestants, with further allegations of torture and ill-treatment.
The commissioner also confirmed that at least four Protestants had been found dead.
The fourth protester, Mikita Kryutsou, was found dead in a forest park in Minsk on Saturday, his body severely beaten, EN24 reported. Kryustou, 28, was reported missing by his family 10 days before his body was found.
An investigative commission said Sunday it was alleged that Kryustou’s death “was not related to the recent incident”, but images appeared on social media showing him attending a protest in the city, standing up to police.
People hold an old Belarusian National Flag and gather at the site where Alexander Taraikovsky died amid clashes protesting the election results, during his civil funeral in Minsk, Belarus, Saturday, August 15, 2020. Taraikovsky died Monday as protesters marched through the streets of the capital Minsk, declaring official figures showing that authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko, in power since 1994, had won a sixth term in office. (AP photo / Dmitri Lovetsky)
Authorities have also uncovered other deaths, such as that of Alexander Taraikovsky, a professor who apparently died when an explosive device he intended to throw at police blew into his hands.
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His partner, Elena German, told the Associated Press that he was shot by police instead. Video of an AP journalist showed Taraikovsky crashing to the ground without evidence of an explosive device.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
