Belarus braces for fresh protests as pressure grows on Lukashenko |
| https://eng.belta.by/all-rubric-news/viewSuzet/presidential-elections-in-belarus-48/ |
Opposition leaders call for weekend of protests; prime ministers of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania call for new polls.
3 hours ago AUGUST 15, 2020
Protesters are demanding President Lukashenko step down and call for fresh elections [Vasily Fedosenko/Reuters]
Thousands are gathering in the capital, Minsk, as Belarus gears up for a weekend of new demonstrations with pressure growing on longtime leader Alexander Lukashenko.
With the opposition gaining momentum after days of protests over last Sunday's disputed presidential vote, Lukashenko's main election challenger Svetlana Tikhanovskaya has called on supporters to rally this weekend again.
Al Jazeera's Step Vaessen, reporting from Minsk, said protesters have started gathering near the Pushkinskaya metro station to honour Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester who died there on Monday and whose funeral was being held.
"Thousands have gathered here in the last hour. They held a minute's silence. People are here on the streets for the seventh day in a row to not just protest police violence but also the election results," she said.
"They are asking for President Lukashenko to step down. They are also asking for fresh elections to be held. So far, the government has not responded to any of their requests."
Thousands are chanting: "Sve-ta! Sve-ta!" (Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya). pic.twitter.com/oArqFBwNGS— Franak Viačorka (@franakviacorka) August 15, 2020
A "March for Freedom" is planned in central Minsk on Sunday, a week after the contested election that 65-year-old Lukashenko claims to have won with 80 percent of the vote.
Tikhanovskaya, a 37-year-old political novice who ran after other opposition candidates, including her husband, were jailed, accuses Lukashenko of rigging the vote and has demanded he step down so new elections can be held.
On Tuesday, she left the country for neighbouring Lithuania, with her allies saying she came under official pressure.
On Friday, she re-emerged with the call for a weekend of "peaceful mass gatherings" in cities across the country.
Belarus election challenger Tikhanovskaya flees to Lithuania (03:01)
She is also demanding authorities be held to account for a police crackdown on post-election protests that saw more than 6,700 people arrested.
Hundreds have been injured after police used rubber bullets, stun grenades and, in at least one case, live rounds to disperse the crowds.
Officials have confirmed two deaths in the unrest, including Taraikovsky who they say died when an explosive device went off in his hand during a protest, and another man who died in custody after being arrested in the southeastern city of Gomel.
On Friday, authorities began releasing hundreds of those arrested and many emerged from detention with horrific accounts of beatings and torture.
Amnesty International condemned "a campaign of widespread torture and other ill-treatment by the Belarusian authorities who are intent on crushing peaceful protests by any means".
In some of the biggest demonstrations yet, thousands marched in Minsk on Friday to denounce the police violence and demand Lukashenko step down.
Women greet a soldier guarding the Belarusian government building in a show of friendliness, in Minsk, Belarus [Sergei Grits/AP]
In euphoric scenes on Independence Square in Minsk, protesters hugged and kissed young interior ministry troops guarding a government building and put flowers in their anti-riot shields.
Unlike the scenes of violent detentions days earlier, police stood by quietly.
'We will not give up the country to anyone'
On Saturday, prime ministers of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania called on Belarus to conduct new "free and fair" elections.
A new vote should be held "in a transparent way with the participation of international observers", the leaders said in a joint statement after meeting in Estonia.
The Kremlin said on Saturday that President Vladimir Putin and Lukashenko agreed in a phone call that the "problems" in Belarus would be swiftly resolved.
"Both sides expressed confidence that all the problems that have arisen will be resolved soon," the Kremlin said in a statement after Lukashenko said he needed to contact Moscow over the growing protests against his rule.
Lukashenko rejected on Saturday offers of foreign mediation, telling defence chiefs he would not give up power.
"We will not give up the country to anyone," state news agency Belta quoted Lukashenko as saying at a meeting at the defence ministry.
"We don't need any foreign governments, any intermediaries," he said.
Thousands form 'lines of solidarity' with protesters in Belarus
Thousands of Belarusians take to the streets of Minsk for a fifth consecutive day of protests against an election.
13 Aug 2020
SOURCE: AL JAZEERA AND NEWS AGENCIES
Thousands are gathering in the capital, Minsk, as Belarus gears up for a weekend of new demonstrations with pressure growing on longtime leader Alexander Lukashenko.
With the opposition gaining momentum after days of protests over last Sunday's disputed presidential vote, Lukashenko's main election challenger Svetlana Tikhanovskaya has called on supporters to rally this weekend again.
Al Jazeera's Step Vaessen, reporting from Minsk, said protesters have started gathering near the Pushkinskaya metro station to honour Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester who died there on Monday and whose funeral was being held.
"Thousands have gathered here in the last hour. They held a minute's silence. People are here on the streets for the seventh day in a row to not just protest police violence but also the election results," she said.
"They are asking for President Lukashenko to step down. They are also asking for fresh elections to be held. So far, the government has not responded to any of their requests."
Thousands are chanting: "Sve-ta! Sve-ta!" (Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya). pic.twitter.com/oArqFBwNGS— Franak Viačorka (@franakviacorka) August 15, 2020
A "March for Freedom" is planned in central Minsk on Sunday, a week after the contested election that 65-year-old Lukashenko claims to have won with 80 percent of the vote.
Tikhanovskaya, a 37-year-old political novice who ran after other opposition candidates, including her husband, were jailed, accuses Lukashenko of rigging the vote and has demanded he step down so new elections can be held.
On Tuesday, she left the country for neighbouring Lithuania, with her allies saying she came under official pressure.
On Friday, she re-emerged with the call for a weekend of "peaceful mass gatherings" in cities across the country.
Belarus election challenger Tikhanovskaya flees to Lithuania (03:01)
She is also demanding authorities be held to account for a police crackdown on post-election protests that saw more than 6,700 people arrested.
Hundreds have been injured after police used rubber bullets, stun grenades and, in at least one case, live rounds to disperse the crowds.
Officials have confirmed two deaths in the unrest, including Taraikovsky who they say died when an explosive device went off in his hand during a protest, and another man who died in custody after being arrested in the southeastern city of Gomel.
On Friday, authorities began releasing hundreds of those arrested and many emerged from detention with horrific accounts of beatings and torture.
Amnesty International condemned "a campaign of widespread torture and other ill-treatment by the Belarusian authorities who are intent on crushing peaceful protests by any means".
In some of the biggest demonstrations yet, thousands marched in Minsk on Friday to denounce the police violence and demand Lukashenko step down.
Women greet a soldier guarding the Belarusian government building in a show of friendliness, in Minsk, Belarus [Sergei Grits/AP]
In euphoric scenes on Independence Square in Minsk, protesters hugged and kissed young interior ministry troops guarding a government building and put flowers in their anti-riot shields.
Unlike the scenes of violent detentions days earlier, police stood by quietly.
'We will not give up the country to anyone'
On Saturday, prime ministers of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania called on Belarus to conduct new "free and fair" elections.
A new vote should be held "in a transparent way with the participation of international observers", the leaders said in a joint statement after meeting in Estonia.
The Kremlin said on Saturday that President Vladimir Putin and Lukashenko agreed in a phone call that the "problems" in Belarus would be swiftly resolved.
"Both sides expressed confidence that all the problems that have arisen will be resolved soon," the Kremlin said in a statement after Lukashenko said he needed to contact Moscow over the growing protests against his rule.
Lukashenko rejected on Saturday offers of foreign mediation, telling defence chiefs he would not give up power.
"We will not give up the country to anyone," state news agency Belta quoted Lukashenko as saying at a meeting at the defence ministry.
"We don't need any foreign governments, any intermediaries," he said.
Thousands form 'lines of solidarity' with protesters in Belarus
Thousands of Belarusians take to the streets of Minsk for a fifth consecutive day of protests against an election.
13 Aug 2020
Large groups of people formed long 'lines of solidarity' in several areas of Minsk [Marina Serebryakova/Anadolu]
Thousands of people have taken to the streets of the capital of Belarus for a fifth consecutive day of protests against an election they say was rigged to extend the rule of the country's longtime leader Alexander Lukashenko.
Large groups of people formed long "lines of solidarity" in several areas of Minsk on Thursday to demonstrate against a crackdown on rallies that followed the vote.
More than 100 women carrying flowers and portraits of their loved ones arrested during protests gathered in the southwestern part of the city, where police had shot rubber bullets at people chanting and clapping on balconies the night before.
"Belarusians have seen the villainous face of this government. I argued with my husband and voted for Lukashenko. And this is what I got in the end - I can't find my relatives in prisons," said Valentina Chailytko, 49, whose husband and son were arrested during protests on Sunday. Chailytko still cannot find any information about their whereabouts.
Thousands of people have rallied all across Belarus since Sunday, demanding a recount of the ballot that gave Lukashenko a landslide victory with 80 percent of the vote, and his top opposition challenger only 10 percent.
Police moved aggressively to break up the protests with batons, stun grenades, tear gas and rubber bullets. One protester died on Monday in Minsk, and many were injured.
Belarus protests: UN human rights chief condemns crackdown (2:34)
Radio Liberty in Belarus reported that one more man died in a hospital in the city of Gomel, southeastern Belarus, after being arrested by police.
The US, the EU reaction
European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said the 27-nation bloc would review its relations with Belarus and consider "measures against those responsible for the observed violence, unjustified arrests and falsification of election results".
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the election in Belarus was not "free and fair" and urged the government to refrain from violence against peaceful protesters.
Lukashenko derided the political opposition as "sheep" manipulated by foreign masters and promised to continue taking a tough position on protests.
"The core of these so-called protesters are people with a criminal past and [those who are] currently unemployed," the Belta news agency quoted Lukashenko as saying at a meeting with security officials on Wednesday.
About 6,000 people have been arrested this week, according to the Belarusian interior ministry.
Belarus's Investigative Committee launched a criminal probe into mass rioting - a charge that implies lengthy prison terms.
Thousands of people have taken to the streets of the capital of Belarus for a fifth consecutive day of protests against an election they say was rigged to extend the rule of the country's longtime leader Alexander Lukashenko.
Large groups of people formed long "lines of solidarity" in several areas of Minsk on Thursday to demonstrate against a crackdown on rallies that followed the vote.
More than 100 women carrying flowers and portraits of their loved ones arrested during protests gathered in the southwestern part of the city, where police had shot rubber bullets at people chanting and clapping on balconies the night before.
"Belarusians have seen the villainous face of this government. I argued with my husband and voted for Lukashenko. And this is what I got in the end - I can't find my relatives in prisons," said Valentina Chailytko, 49, whose husband and son were arrested during protests on Sunday. Chailytko still cannot find any information about their whereabouts.
Thousands of people have rallied all across Belarus since Sunday, demanding a recount of the ballot that gave Lukashenko a landslide victory with 80 percent of the vote, and his top opposition challenger only 10 percent.
Police moved aggressively to break up the protests with batons, stun grenades, tear gas and rubber bullets. One protester died on Monday in Minsk, and many were injured.
Belarus protests: UN human rights chief condemns crackdown (2:34)
Radio Liberty in Belarus reported that one more man died in a hospital in the city of Gomel, southeastern Belarus, after being arrested by police.
The US, the EU reaction
European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said the 27-nation bloc would review its relations with Belarus and consider "measures against those responsible for the observed violence, unjustified arrests and falsification of election results".
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the election in Belarus was not "free and fair" and urged the government to refrain from violence against peaceful protesters.
Lukashenko derided the political opposition as "sheep" manipulated by foreign masters and promised to continue taking a tough position on protests.
"The core of these so-called protesters are people with a criminal past and [those who are] currently unemployed," the Belta news agency quoted Lukashenko as saying at a meeting with security officials on Wednesday.
About 6,000 people have been arrested this week, according to the Belarusian interior ministry.
Belarus's Investigative Committee launched a criminal probe into mass rioting - a charge that implies lengthy prison terms.
SOURCE: AL JAZEERA AND NEWS AGENCIES
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