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For four weeks men and women in Belarus have taken to the streets against Alexander Lukashenko
Photo: TUT.BY / REUTERS
The resistance in Belarus against the controversial head of state Alexander Lukashenko is continuing.
Tens of thousands of protesters have been in the Belarusian capital Minsk since early Sunday afternoon.
Videos can be seen how larger groups with white and red national flags marched towards the city center and chanted "Long live Belarus".
Many people protested again in other cities of the ex-Soviet republic.
They took to the streets despite urgent warnings from the Interior Ministry and a ban on demonstrations.
Dozens were arrested.
Heavily armed security forces had already surrounded and cordoned off Independence Square in the Belarusian capital Minsk in the morning.
Local media reported about tanks and blocked roads.
Water cannons and armored vehicles were hit.
Videos and photos showed security forces cracking down on peaceful demonstrators and dragging them into police buses.
Men in particular were led away.
Exact figures were initially not available.
The Wesna Human Rights Center spoke of more than 70 arrests in the afternoon, the Ministry of the Interior initially of fewer.
The Interior Ministry had previously warned that it would send more forces to mass demonstrations by the opposition.
Tear gas and arrests
As with the protests in the previous weeks, violent clashes between demonstrators and security forces are reported.
Videos from Sunday from the cities of Brest and Grodno on the border with Poland could be seen as uniformed men rushed towards a group of protesters and dispersed people.
In the messenger service Telegram, channels close to the opposition reported that tear gas had also been used.
You could also see older women running away from the emergency services.
In contrast, the uniformed men in Minsk initially only intervened in isolated cases.
The largest protests took place in the capital in the afternoon.
According to the German press agency, observers speak of 10,000, some even 100,000 participants.
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"Long live Belarus" shouted the demonstrators in Minsk on Sunday
Photo: TUT.BY / REUTERS
Since the presidential election on August 9, opponents of the controversial head of state have been organizing daily actions.
They want to prevent a sixth term of office for the 66-year-old Lukashenko and insist that Svetlana Tichanovskaya, who is celebrated by many as the winner of the election, takes over the office.
The vote, in which Lukashenko was declared the winner with over 80 percent of the votes, is criticized internationally as grossly falsified.
Maas calls on Lukashenko to negotiate with the opposition
Opposition leader Tichanovskaya called on people from exile on Saturday to definitely take part in the demonstration.
"Remember: together we are strong," she said in a video.
On Sunday night, the prominent opposition activist Olga Kowalkowa, a close confidante of Tichanowskajas, had to leave for neighboring Poland.
She was urged by the authorities in Belarus, said Kowalkowa, according to the Internet portal tut.by.
Federal Foreign Minister Heiko Maas threatened in the "Bild am Sonntag" with a tightening of punitive measures against Lukashenko.
"We as the European Union do not recognize the election and have decided on sanctions. We are now implementing them. If Lukashenko does not react, there will be further sanctions," said the SPD politician.
He called on Lukashenko to negotiate with the opposition and stop imprisoning and mistreating peaceful demonstrators.
In addition, Lukashenko must respect human rights and freedom of the press.
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mst / dpa
