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Alexander Lukashenko has been sworn in for a sixth term as President of Belarus. The ceremony took place unexpectedly on Wednesday morning without any prior announcement.
“We have not only elected the president of the country, we have defended our values, our peaceful life, sovereignty and independence,” Lukashenko said, according to Belta.
The independent news site Tut.by reports that much of the capital, Minsk, has been shut down and that several people have taken to the streets to demonstrate against the president.
According to the official results of the presidential elections, Alexander Lukashenko won with just over 80 percent of the vote. But international observers have condemned the election as undemocratic.
Large sections of the Belarusian people have also opposed Lukashenko and demonstrations of up to 100,000 people have demanded his resignation.
The police have responded to the discontent with violence and there are several reports of abuse and torture.
