Belarus engulfed in ninth night of protests as Lukashenko heckled
MINSK, Belarus — Demonstrators descended on the Belarusian capital on Monday for a ninth night of protests against strongman leader Alexander Lukashenko, who was heckled by factory workers as pressure grows on him to step down.
Several thousand protesters gathered at Independence Square in central Minsk, waving the red-and-white flag of the opposition, chanting "Leave" and calling on the ex-Soviet country's authoritarian leader to resign.
Demonstrators also marched to detention centres demanding the release of opposition leaders and protesters arrested during rallies against the results of a presidential election on August 9 that Lukashenko claims to have won with 80 percent of the vote.
Employees at several factories and state television earlier walked off the job after the biggest opposition rallies in Lukashenko's 26 years in power on Sunday.
More than 100,000 people took part in a "March for Freedom" following calls for continued demonstrations from Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, a political novice who stood against Lukashenko on August 9 and claims she won the election.
While European Union leaders are to hold an emergency video summit on Belarus on Wednesday, President Donald Trump said the United States was following events "very closely", describing it as a "terrible situation".
However, Russia, the most powerful ally of Lukashenko, has said it is ready to step in if necessary.
'Fighting their own people'
A police crackdown that has seen thousands arrested and widespread allegations of brutality appears to have turned even Lukashenko's support base at state-owned industries against him.
In footage widely shared on social media, workers at the Minsk Wheel Tractor Plant (MZKT) interrupted Lukashenko with shouts of "Leave!" as he tried to give a speech on Monday.
An angry Lukashenko, who had earlier told the workers he would not give in to calls for new elections, walked off the stage, saying: "Thank you, I have said everything. You can shout 'Leave'."
In a video recording of the speech, Lukashenko can be heard saying: "Until you kill me, there will be no elections."
Yet later he suggested that he may be willing to hand over power following a referendum on the constitution.
"You should get it approved in a referendum and then, using that new constitution, if you want, hold both parliamentary or presidential elections," he said.
The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) on Monday voiced its "concerns about the conduct" of the Belarus election... and the disproportionate use of force against peaceful protesters, widespread detentions and alleged torture and mistreatment by the security forces".
The OSCE said in a statement it made "a formal offer" to the Belarus government to facilitate dialogue between both sides.
"An open and constructive dialogue is needed to find a way forward in Belarus," the statement said.
"A formal offer has therefore been submitted to the government of Belarus for a visit by the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office" Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama "to meet with the government and representatives of the opposition," the group added.
Canadian Foreign Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne said Ottawa joined the chorus of countries condemning the "crackdown on peaceful protestors" and rejecting the "fraudulent" vote while demanding "free and fair elections."
In his statement, he also called "for a thorough investigation to be conducted through" the OSCE.
Meanwhile demonstrators also gathered outside the Minsk headquarters of state television, where local media reported that 600 people joined the strike.
Maria Kolesnikova, a senior opposition leader, joined the protesters, saying: "I know how scared you are, because we are all scared. Thank you for overcoming your fear and joining the majority."
Production at the Belaruskali potash producer was partially suspended after workers joined the walkout, Russian news agencies reported.
Potash, used to make fertiliser, is a major source of income for Belarus, which is one of the largest producers in the world.
Challenger 'ready' to lead
Lukashenko has defied calls to stand down after the election that saw him imprison his closest rivals, shun independent observers and unleash a brutal crackdown on peaceful protesters.
The opposition called for a general strike after hundreds of workers at state-run factories first downed tools last week.
In a video posted online on Monday, Tikhanovskaya -- now in exile in Lithuania -- said that although she never planned to enter politics she was prepared to temporarily take over the leadership.
"Fate decreed that I'd find myself on the frontline of a confrontation against arbitrary rule and injustice," said Tikhanovskaya, a 37-year-old political novice who ran for president only after other potential candidates including her husband were jailed.
"I am ready to take responsibility and act as a national leader during this period."
Tikhanovskaya, who says she will organise new elections if Lukashenko steps down, has demanded the release of all detainees and criminal cases be opened against those who ordered the crackdown.
More than 6,700 people arrested, hundreds wounded and two people have died in the crackdown.
Detainees have gradually been released, many emerging with horrific accounts of beatings and torture.
Anti-government protests seeking to oust him followed a crushing re-election victory for Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko in disputed polls. — AFP
Belarus is crushing dissent and blocking victims of rights abuses from seeking justice, the United Nations said Wednesday, hitting out at a "situation of complete impunity" in the country.
"The authorities' extensive and sustained actions to crush dissent and repress civil society, independent media and opposition groups, while at the same time shielding perpetrators, points to a situation of complete impunity in Belarus," UN human rights chief, Michelle Bachelet, said in a statement following the publication of a new report on the situation inside Belarus. — AFP
Belarusian opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya on Thursday said strongman Alexander Lukashenko would not follow through on threats to cut off gas supplies to Europe over an escalating conflict with the EU.
"It would be more harmful for him, for Belarus, than for the European Union and I can suppose it's bluffing," Tikhanovskaya told AFP, urging European countries to hold firm and not communicate directly with the "illegitimate" leader. — AFP
EU chief Charles Michel confirms Friday that Belarus leader Alexander Lukashenko is himself not among the figures targeted on a new sanctions list.
"No Lukashenko is not on the current list, but of course we will follow the situation, we will follow developments," the president of the European Council says after meeting EU leaders. — AFP
Russian President Vladimir Putin told his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron Wednesday that any attempts to interfere in affairs of a sovereign country were "unacceptable" as the two discussed Belarus, the Kremlin said.
Putin noted Russia's "principled position" that "any attempts to interfere in internal affairs of a sovereign state and outside pressure on legitimate authorities are unacceptable," the Kremlin said late Wednesday.
The phone call between the two leaders came after Macron met Belarusian opposition figure Svetlana Tikhanovskaya in Vilnius on Tuesday. — AFP
Belarus police on Wednesday arrested more than 140 people across the country as demonstrators took to the streets to protest strongman Alexander Lukashenko's secretive presidential inauguration, a rights group said.
The Viasna rights group released the names of more than 140 people it said were arrested in the capital Minsk, the southwestern city of Brest and elsewhere. Police used water cannon and tear gas in Minsk to break up the rallies.
On Wednesday evening, protests broke out in Minsk and a number of other cities as several thousand demonstrators took to the streets to protest Lukashenko's secretive presidential inauguration earlier in the day. — AFP
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