UN condemns 'violent response' of Belarus government to protests 

 Police in Belarus say more than 6,000 arrested as protests over disputed election results continue.

19 Aug 2020 06:36 GMT | Belarus, Europe

The UN's human rights chief Michelle Bachelet has condemned the "violent response" of authorities in Belarus to protests across the country.

President Alexander Lukashenko claimed a landslide re-election on August 9 in a vote his opponents say was rigged.

Several nights of demonstrations followed, with police firing rubber bullets, stun grenades and using tear gas on protesters while arresting thousands.

At least two protesters have died.

Volunteers are trying to help locate thousands of detainees.

President Lukashenko, who has been in power for 26 years, has described those arrested as a criminal underclass. 

Last week, hundreds of women marched through Minsk to condemn the violence and called for fair elections.

Medical workers also lined the streets in opposition to the violence.

This video was produced and edited by Al Jazeera News Feed's Hassan Ghani.

Belarus president lacks democratic legitimacy, top EU diplomat says

MADRID (Reuters) - Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko “lacks democractic legitimacy” after an election victory that is not recognized, top European Union diplomat Josep Borrell said on Wednesday.

The EU intends to express “condemnation and rejection” of Lukashenko’s regime, Borrell told reporters in Santander, according to TV footage released by state broadcaster TVE.

The diplomat’s comments come as European Union leaders were holding an emergency summit expected to endorse sanctions on Belarussian officials over suspected election fraud and a subsequent crackdown on protesters.

Lukashenko, who has run Belarus for 26 years, is facing massive protests after winning 80% of the vote in elections that some sectors of the population believe were rigged.

Visegrad group presidents call on Belarus to stop violence, back free elections - joint statementPRAGUE (Reuters) - The presidents of the Visegrad Group including the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia called on Belarus on Wednesday to avoid violence against protesters and open the way for a political solution to the ongoing crisis.

“(We) call on the authorities of the Republic of Belarus to open the way for the political solution, and to abide by the fundamental human rights and freedoms while refraining from the use of violence against the peaceful demonstrators,” the presidents said in a joint statement.

“We...support the right of the people of Belarus to free, fair and democratic presidential elections,” it said.

(This story corrects after Czech presidential office removed reference to new election)

Reporting by Jan Lopatka; Editing by Toby Chopra