Ebun Olowu
In the fourth straight night of demonstrations in Belarus against what protesters are calling a rigged election, security forces have become increasingly violent, detaining thousands and targeting journalists, prompting the United Nations and the European Union to condemn the government’s response and threaten to impose sanctions.
Thousands of protesters gathered in Belarus’ capital Minsk and across the country to demonstrate against the results of the presidential election on Sunday August 9 2020,in which incumbent President Alexander Lukashenko, who has been in power since 1994, claims to have won a sixth term with 80% of the vote amid widespread allegations of fraud.
Security forces, masked and dressed in black, responded to the mostly peaceful demonstrations with increasing violence, storming the streets and detaining people at random, and using tear gas, stun grenades, water cannons, rubber bullets, and in some cases live ammunition to disperse crowds.
U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet condemned the Belarusian government’s brutal response to the protests, during which at least 6,000 people have been detained, 250 injured and two killed, and called for the immediate release of anyone who had been unlawfully detained.
The European Union is considering whether it should sanction Minsk — the E.U.’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell called the elections “neither free nor fair” and the effort to quash the protests against their outcome “unacceptable.”
If you haven’t seen what’s happening in Belarus, look into it. This is Minsk tonight. The President/Dictator claims to have won 80% of the vote. Yet thousands and thousands are protesting, saying he stole the election. This is his response 👇🏻 https://t.co/LHPL5lCdVw
— Read Abolish Rent (@JPHilllllll) August 9, 2020
When people stop fearing the police. Scenes from #Belarus yesterday. https://t.co/dxyvsE3EQG
— Anonymous (@YourAnonCentral) August 12, 2020
Scenes from #Belarus as thousands take to the streets to defend their vote. (📹@TadeuszGiczan) pic.twitter.com/Hugyc7uTVN
— Anonymous (@YourAnonCentral) August 9, 2020
הפגנות הנשים נגד האלימות המשטרתית בבלארוס צוברות תאוצה. יש שרשרת אנושית ארוכה במינסק ודומות מתקיימות בערים נוספות. גם הפגנות אחרות מתרחשות עכשיו ובערב מתוכננת חסימת כבישים כללית בכל רחבי המדינה ע"י המפגינים. נראה שהמרד ממשיך. pic.twitter.com/ybrx3Fg9qq
— shalom boguslavsky (@SBogus) August 12, 2020
Wie im Krieg agieren die Spezialeinheiten Lukaschenkos und gehen immer öfter auch in Häuser und Wohnungen (natürlich ohne richterliche Erlaubnis) rein. Die Anwohner*innen zeigen deutlich ihren Unmut. #Minsk #Belarus pic.twitter.com/url11canfy
— Jan-Henrik Wiebe (@jan_wiebe) August 12, 2020
