Thousands of Belarusians demonstrated, more than a hundred were detained by police

Thousands of Belarusians demonstrated, more than a hundred were detained by police

According to the TASS agency, the protesters in the metropolis were able to create parades in individual districts of Minsk, always numbering several dozen people, in some cases up to several hundred. Order forces tried to prevent protesters from moving, dispersing and detaining protesters. The decentralization of the protests, in which participants demand Lukashenko's resignation, the release of political prisoners and the holding of free elections, are to make it more difficult to crack down on demonstrators. According to an AFP correspondent, law enforcement forces were concentrated in Minsk, and police patrolled the streets with dogs and water cannons. Lukashenko, 66, who has ruled the country since 1994, is facing unprecedented resistance. In Belarus, mass demonstrations have continued since the August 9 presidential election, with Lukashenko once again declaring the winner. The opposition rejects this result as falsified. He was also refused to be recognized by the European Union, which imposed sanctions on Lukashenko and other regime officials, who were held responsible for falsifying elections and violating human rights in brutal attacks on demonstrators. The largest demonstrations against the regime are regularly held on Sundays. Lukashenko, who enjoys Russia's support, refuses to resign, as do any concessions or dialogue with the opposition. "Every new demonstration prevents the regime from lying that the protests are over," said opposition leader and Lukashenko's main rival in the presidential election, Sviatlana Tsichanouska, who went into exile after the election. More than 30,000 people have been detained since the protests began, Reuters said. On Wednesday this week, at the European Parliament's Sakharov Prize, Tsichanouska called on the European Union to boldly support the fight for democracy and human rights in Belarus. On the same day, the representatives of the EU countries agreed to extend the Belarusian sanctions list by the first seven institutions or companies.