Election scandal in Belarus: Video could turn a man into a protest icon - Lindner also in trouble because of Lukashenko?

The presidential election in Belarus has ended. According to official information, Alexander Lukashenko had a big win against Svetlana Tichanovskaya.

• Shortly before the presidential election in Belarus , 33 suspected Russian mercenaries were arrested.
• President Alexander Lukashenko had contradicted the Kremlin's declarations that the troops were only in transit.
• According to official projections, Lukashenko is the election winner on Sunday evening. But there are serious allegations of manipulation in the room.

Update from August 10, 10:28 a.m.: According to activists, during the protests against the presidential election in Belarus , one demonstrator was killed and dozens more injured. A young man was hit by a police car and suffered a serious head injury, the human rights organization Viasna said on Monday. Paramedics couldn't have saved his life. Dozens of other people were injured when the police attacked the demonstrators with shock grenades, water cannons and rubber bullets .

Viasna representative Sergej Sys told AFP news agency that more than 300 people were arrested across the country on Sunday . There were more than 150 arrests in the capital Minsk alone . Dozens of other arrests were made in at least ten other cities. The Belarusian police initially did not provide any figures. The Interior Ministry also rejected the activists' statements about the death. "We have no dead," said a spokeswoman for AFP.

Election scandal in Belarus: Video could turn a man into a protest icon - Lindner also in trouble because of Lukashenko?

Update from August 10th, 9.30 a.m.: Belarus apparently survived a first night of severe physical conflict - however, further protests are likely: The election commission has declared Alexander Lukashenko the winner. Meanwhile, the opposition has reported serious violations. Partly, the turnout in some bars was over 100 percent, it was said (see update from 8:12 a.m.).

It remains to be seen whether a kind of “revolution” is coming. The Minsk Night of Violence may have already produced an icon : A Twitter video, some of which was viewed hundreds of thousands of times in several postings, shows a young man running towards a police car and the police force behind it - whereupon the officers in the vehicle back away. Shortly afterwards, two heavily armored police officers only half-heartedly pursue the man. Comparisons with the "Tank Man" on Tiananmen Square in Beijing then emerged. In Belarus, police and demonstrators had sometimes bloody clashes during the night.

Tank Man, Belarus version pic.twitter.com/LzXh08aDfB

The dispute over the possibly manipulated election results meanwhile extends to Germany : FDP leader Christian Lindner could a faux pas from May fall on his feet for the second time: At that time, Lindner had the Belarusian honorary consul Steffen Göpel in front of him in the first high phase of the corona pandemic Berlin celebrity restaurant hugs. After the uproar over the disregard of the Corona rules, the function of Lindner's "friend" as a representative of Lukashenko's government is now in focus.

"Virologists sure: This hug infected Belarus with freedom and democracy," tweeted satirist Jan Böhmermann on Sunday evening. By Monday morning, the posting had already received almost 3,000 likes.

virologists sure: this hug infected #belarus with freedom and democracy pic.twitter.com/zty5NXjVlD

Election scandal in Belarus: Lukashenko declared the winner - the opposition candidate allegedly does not receive 10 percent

Update from August 10, 8.27 a.m.: The election commission in Belarus (Belarus) has declared head of state Alexander Lukashenko the winner of the presidential election . The 65-year-old had 80.23 percent of the votes in the polls on Sunday, announced election officer Lilija Yermoschina on Monday in Minsk as a preliminary result. Lukashenko's opponent, Svetlana Tichanowskaja , only got 9.9 percent of the vote . She has already announced that she will not recognize defeat. Thousands of their supporters protested against Lukashenko and election fraud at night. There were many injuries and arrests (see update from 8:12 a.m.).

Belarus election: Lukashenko remains silent after the night of violence - protesters raise serious allegations

Update from August 10, 8:12 a.m.: After bloody night riots in the course of the presidential election in Belarus (Belarus), the situation in the country has calmed down for the time being. The people returned home early Monday morning, and it was also quiet in the capital Minsk, reported the state media. Activists announced
new protests on social networks to demonstrate against election fraud and against an alleged victory by head of state Alexander Lukashenko .

During the night there were serious clashes between security forces and citizens . There have been dozens of arrests and many injured . The exact number was unclear. The Interior Ministry confirmed the use of special technology and stun grenades against the demonstrators. Videos showed seriously injured people bleeding in the face. They reported that the security forces attacked the people with rubber bullets and water cannons. Opposition media reported that a police van had driven into the crowd .

There was initially no reaction from Lukashenko. Before the election on Sunday he had announced that he would defend his power by all means. Official election results were not available on Monday either. The website of the election control was no longer available - like most of the web portals in the country. The Telegram news channel was still working .

"A deep, unprecedented crisis is looming," said Maria Kolesnikova , a colleague of opposition candidate Svetlana Tichanovskaya , at a press conference that evening. She accused the government of electoral fraud. Participation in several polling stations was more than 100 percent. "The authorities should admit that the majority are on the other side," said Kolesnikova. The opposition had already declared before the polls that they expected election fraud.

Election in Belarus: Bloody night follows election scandal - 100,000 in Minsk on the street, Lukashenko is silent

Update from August 10, 6:35 a.m.: After the presidential election in Belarus , the political situation in the ex-Soviet republic remains uncertain. On Monday night, tens of thousands of people across the country demonstrated against election fraud . There were bloody clashes with the police. It was expected that the first official election results will be available on Monday. The timing was uncertain in view of the protests. It is eagerly awaited whether head of state Alexander Lukashenko will speak out. There were initially no reactions from him. Opposition candidate Svetlana Tichanovskaya had spoken out against it . The hopes of the people now rest on it.

According to forecasts by state pollsters, the 37-year-old should have lost the election overshadowed by allegations of manipulation, while President Lukashenko won her. Even hours after the polling stations closed, the election commission did not publish any initial official results . There was only talk of a victory by Lukashenko. The website of the election control was initially not available - like many other websites in Belarus.

Tichanowskaja did not want to admit defeat: "There can be no recognition of such an election result," said spokeswoman Anna Krasulina of the dpa . It was to be expected that the state prognoses would ascribe around 80 percent of the vote to Lukashenko: "That is far from reality." There was no reaction from Lukashenko after the vote.

Belarus: Lukashenko under pressure - allegedly up to 100,000 demonstrators in Minsk on the streets

According to observers, up to 100,000 people are said to have taken part in the demonstrations in the Belarusian capital Minsk . On video was about to see how demonstrators built barricades from dumpsters. Crowds of people moved through the streets - also in other cities in the country. Scenes of police brutally beating people were repeatedly published on social networks . But demonstrators also attacked police officers to prevent arrests. Some threw bottles and stones at the emergency services. There were many pictures of people covered in blood. How many citizens were injured was initially not known.

Reports of pro-democracy protests across Belarus tonight and extraordinary scenes in Minsk in particular. It seems that, this time, the people of Belarus aren't willing to settle for a rigged election. pic.twitter.com/73X90NQwWe

Individual local election commissions appeared in front of the crowds in the evening and announced results that President Lukashenko had suffered a heavy defeat. Tichanovskaya partly got 80 to 90 percent of the vote.

In individual places there were also the first victory celebrations for the opposition candidate. The people called on the uniformed men to bow to the will of the electorate and join the people. In some places the police have little resistance can afford against the crowds, reported opposition close portals on the Internet, the country's temporarily not working. Protests in Belarus are also expected on Monday.

Election in Belarus: Police and demonstrators engage in street fighting - pictures show the extent of the violence

Update from August 9, 10:19 p.m.: After the end of the presidential election in  Belarus (Belarus), there were clashes with the police in several cities in the country on Sunday evening. Thousands of people gathered in central squares to demonstrate against election fraud. Videos were published on social networks that showed police officers beating people in the capital, Minsk . Other passers-by then attacked the security forces to prevent arrest. In Minsk the officials used flares to drive people away.

According to the videos, an estimated 10,000 people were in the center in the capital Minsk alone . Cars honked on the streets. The security forces cordoned off many metro stations. Citizens reported that the internet was not working across the country. Hundreds were gathered at the presidential palace.

The police arrested many demonstrators. An exact number was not initially available. The human rights organization Wesna spoke in the evening of initially more than 50 arrests. There are also said to have been many injured. Videos on Twitter show dramatic images.

The fighting between protesters and the security forces, here OMON police officers, is getting more and more violent in #Minsk. Apparently they clubbed the crowd in a mall across from the Sports Palace. #Belarus. pic.twitter.com/qjcofGsHKv

Opposition candidate Svetlana Tichanovskaya had previously questioned the officially announced victory of incumbent Alexander Lukashenko in the presidential election . "I believe in what I see with my own eyes and I see that the majority is behind us," said Tichanowskaya on Sunday evening after the publication of an official forecast that Lukashenko won the election with almost 80 percent of the vote. "I believe that we have already won because we overcame our fear, our apathy and our indifference," said Tichanovskaya.

Thousands of people demonstrate after the presidential election in Belarus (Belarus).

© Sergei GAPON / AFP

Election in Belarus: is there a threat of violence on election night? Ballot papers run out - opposition announces protests

Update from August 9, 7:32 p.m.: In Belarus , the turnout in the presidential election was higher than expected. Hundreds of citizens were still waiting in front of the polling stations when they could no longer issue voting papers . The polling stations have now closed. Many of the 6.8 million eligible voters were unable to cast their votes until 7 p.m. CEST due to the large crowd. Election supervisor Lilija Yermoschina said in the evening that the number of ballot papers was insufficient. Nobody expected such a high turnout, she emphasized.

People queue up at a polling station on a sidewalk in Minsk (Belarus).

© Sergei Grits / dpa / AP

The state media are already seeing a major election victory for the ruling head of state Alexander Lukashenko . According to the so-called Exit Polls, he is said to have got 79 percent of the votes, as the state agency Belta reported in the evening. The opposition candidate Svetlana Tichanowskaya is said to get only 6.8 percent of the vote.

Election in Belarus: Spontaneous protests by Lukashenko's opponents - "Get out!"

According to the information, more than 12,000 eligible voters were asked after the polls. 30 percent of them would not have given an answer, it said. According to independent by-election surveys abroad, Tichanovskaya is said to have gained 71 percent, Lukashenko received 10 percent. In Moscow there were spontaneous protests by hundreds of Lukashenko opponents in the evening . They shouted "Get out!"

Election in Belarus: is a bloody election night looming? Opposition has announced protests

Observers assume that the long-time incumbent Alexander Lukashenko will secure his re-election for a sixth term. Observers and members of the opposition documented massive election manipulation. International observers are not allowed to vote. The last four polls in the former Soviet republic have not been recognized by independent observers because of fraud and intimidation.

Experts assume that Lukashenko will secure his victory this time again with the help of election fraud . Especially since a record number of 41.7 percent of those eligible to vote, according to the electoral commission, made use of the opportunity to cast their votes days in advance - leaving enough time for manipulation . The opposition has announced protests against election fraud for the evening.

An extremely large number of people also gathered at the Belarusian embassies abroad. In the Russian capital Moscow, a line hundreds of meters long formed in front of the diplomatic mission.

Election in Belarus: is a bloody election night looming? Lukashenko makes a hint - pictures of military vehicles on the Internet

Update from August 9th, 5:28 pm: Citizens, journalists and activists complained about massive problems with the Internet on election day in Belarus (Belarus). Above all, many pages critical of the government were not available in Belarus. The staff of the opposition candidate Svetlana Tichanovskaya warned against a complete shutdown of the network. In this way the authorities wanted to prevent organized protests. A total of 6.8 million people were called to vote in the country between Poland and Russia. There were three other candidates to choose from, but they were considered to have no chance. Before the election, the head of state Alexander Lukashenko had hinted that if he lost the election, he would maintain his power with the help of the military.

Election in Belarus: is a bloody election night looming? Lukashenko makes a hint - pictures of military vehicles on the Internet

Update from August 9, 5:12 p.m.: The presidential election in Belarus on Sunday was under the impression of unprecedented fraud allegations and massive police violence. It is a great victory awaiting the head of state Alexander Lukashenko , who has ruled the former Soviet republic with a hard hand for more than a quarter of a century. However, queues formed in front of the polling stations like never before. The opposition candidate Svetlana Tichanovskaya (37), who has little experience in politics , was cheered. Many shouted "Sweta, Sweta!"

Lukashenko is often seen as “Europe's last dictator” who still has the death penalty carried out. It was quiet around the president's vote. The 65-year-old threw his ballot paper in a small group at the university in the capital Minsk. Before the election he had threatened the use of the army if someone tried to wrest power from him. According to the state agency Belta, he said: “There can be no question of chaos and civil war breaking out in the country tomorrow. Nothing gets out of hand. I guarantee that. "

Incumbent Alexander Lukashenko with his ballot in the election in Belarus.

© Sergei Grits / dpa / dpa-Bildfunk

Apparently not an empty threat. Because videos of military vehicles taking up positions on the roads to Minsk were published on social networks . There were also numerous arrests on election day, including a team from the Russian Internet television channel Doschd. “I want the election to be honest,” said Tichanovskaya when casting the vote. There were dozens of videos of tampering with ballot papers on social networks and complaints from citizens about violations.

Thinking outside the box: The Belarusian dictator #Lukashenko is preparing for the presidential election on August 9th, 2020. Further military units and security forces have been appointed to the capital #Minsk. This time the choice will be made on the street. #Belarus https://t.co/X4zZ8b9r7P

The opposition doubts that Lukashenko will be able to win a vote without massive forgery. His opponents have therefore announced peaceful protests that could drag on for several days. Tichanovskaya has the support of other opposition candidates who have not been allowed to vote - not only from her husband Sergei, a blogger critical of the government, but also from former bank boss Viktor Babariko. Both are in custody on charges that are considered politically staged.

Election in Belarus: voter turnout has never been so great - "strong desire for change"

Tichanovskaya colleagues and supporters were also taken into custody, including Maria Kolesnikova from her campaign staff. She was released after a short time on Saturday. Hundreds of people were arrested during the election campaign. Election supervisor Lilija Yermoschina declared the presidential election to be valid around noon after the minimum turnout of 50 percent had been reached. At around 4:00 p.m. (3:00 p.m. CEST), it was stated to be more than 73 percent.

“ Belarus has never seen such a crowd at the ballot box. This is an expression of the strong desire for change, ”said the political scientist Maryna Rakhlei of the German press agency. There were also many 40 to 50 year olds among the voters who had voted for the first time. Rakhlei took this as a sign against Lukashenko.

Polling station in #Belarus #BelarusPresidentialElection https://t.co/PIlQoXiNZW

Election in Belarus: is a bloody election night looming? Lukashenko makes a hint - human rights activists worried 

Update from 2:09 p.m .: The former Soviet Republic of Belarus (Belarus) elected a new president on Sunday under the impression of massive police violence. The election is overshadowed by protests and arrests. The incumbent head of state Alexander Lukashenko assured that everything was under control. "Tomorrow the country will not plunge into chaos or civil war," said Lukashenko after the vote in the capital Minsk. “I guarantee that.” The 65-year-old has been in power for more than a quarter of a century.

Election in Belarus: is a bloody election night looming? Lukashenko makes a hint - human rights activists worried

Update from 12:37 p.m.: In a tense atmosphere, the people in Belarus elect their president. Observers assume that the long-time incumbent Alexander Lukashenko will win. But he feels that the 37-year-old opposition candidate Svetlana Tichanovskaya , who had gained massive support in the weeks leading up to the election, is obviously under pressure. On Sunday Lukashenko declared that he would not "lose control of the situation". International observers are not allowed to vote. The last four polls in the former Soviet republic have not been recognized by independent observers because of fraud and intimidation .

Even before election day, numerous human rights activists expressed concern about the possible brutality of protests after the vote . The right to peaceful gatherings and protests must be guaranteed, it said on Saturday in an appeal signed by the Wesna organization and the Belarusian Helsinki Committee.

Experts assume that Lukashenko will again secure his victory this time with the help of election fraud. Especially since a record number of 41.7 percent of those eligible to vote, according to the electoral commission, took advantage of the opportunity to cast their votes days in advance - leaving enough time for manipulation. But Tichanovskaya's candidacy presented the 65-year-old incumbent with unexpected challenges . It ran after her husband was arrested and excluded from the election. Her program consists primarily of two points: She wants to schedule new, free elections in which candidates like her husband who have been imprisoned or not admitted can also take part.

Election in Belarus: Problems with the accessibility of websites of independent media

“We are waiting for changes,” said a 60-year-old voter who refused to give her name. 26 years of Lukashenko are "a very long time, we need fresh blood", said a 33-year-old businesswoman and added: "I voted for Tichanovskaya". Although the authorities cracked down on the opposition before the election, tens of thousands took part in the opposition candidate's campaign events.

Meanwhile, people reported problems accessing independent media websites. The website of the independent election observation group Tschestnie Lijudi and the website of the election commission were not accessible. The video platform YouTube, encrypted messenger services such as Telegram and VPN connections were severely slowed down.

In a video message on the eve of the election, Tichanovskaya called on her supporters to do everything possible to ensure that the Belarusians “wake up in a new country”. In order to make election fraud more difficult, among other things, they should cast their votes as late as possible. "When you see that we won, celebrate our victory," she said. She had previously announced that she would not call her supporters to protest after the polls.

Before the message of #Belarus in #Berlin, a huge blow has formed. Belarusians in exile also want change. https://t.co/L8BTuFoAlb

Election in Belarus: Lukashenko wants to stay in power - but a woman could get in his way / become dangerous

Update from August 9, 8:20 a.m .: The election in authoritarian Belarus has begun. Around 6.8 million people have been able to vote in the almost 5,800 polling stations across the country since Sunday morning at 7 a.m. CEST. For head of state Alexander Lukashenko , the election could be decisive after more than a quarter of a century in office, because the opposition Svetlana Tichanowskaya has developed into a beacon of hope for Lukashenko's opponents in recent weeks. There are three other candidates. The first forecasts are expected after the polling stations close at 7 p.m. CEST. Observers assumed that election fraud had already begun.

Lukashenko is considered the “last dictator in Europe” and was particularly tough on critics and activists in the weeks leading up to the election. Tichanovskaya colleagues and fellow campaigners were also briefly taken into custody, including Maria Kolesnikova. She is the election supervisor of the unapproved candidate Viktor Babariko , who is also in prison. But she was released again.

The 37-year-old Tichanovskaya is said to have gone to safety in the capital the night before the election. For protection, she did not stay in her own apartment and stayed with colleagues, as her electoral staff announced. Before that, she had already brought her two children abroad. Her husband, the well-known blogger Sergei Tichanowski, is in prison . She had been registered as a candidate for election in his place.

Election in Belarus: Russian mercenaries arrested - Lukashenko goes on a confrontation course with Russia

First report from August 7th: Minsk - The presidential elections in Belarus will take place on Sunday , in which incumbent Alexander Lukashenko wants to secure his sixth term in a row. The 65-year-old, who has been president of his country since 1994, has now embarked on a course of confrontation with Russia in the run-up to the elections . The trigger for this was the arrest of 33 suspected Russian mercenaries last Wednesday.

Presidential election in Belarus: Ukraine calls for extradition of arrested mercenaries

Ukraine has now intervened in this dispute between Russia and Belarus . As Spiegel reports, Foreign Minister Dimitrij Kuleba has spoken to Minsk about the extradition of the arrested mercenaries to Ukraine. According to the authorities, 28 of the arrested men fought on the side of the pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine. Volodymyr Selenskyj , the President of Ukraine, had already phoned Lukashenko on Wednesday and pressed for extradition. Lukashenko described the incident on Thursday as a "serious problem" that should not be politicized. Meanwhile, Russia continues to demand the release of the men.

Belarus: 33 Russian mercenaries arrested - Kremlin dismisses allegations

As the Kremlin announced last week, the men were only passing through and had no intention of staying in Belarus . The stay had nothing to do with the country itself, said Kremlin spokesman Dimitrij Peskov last Friday. The mercenaries therefore had flight tickets to Istanbul with them and wanted to travel on to Turkey.

However, President Lukashenko promptly contradicted these accounts. “There was no Istanbul at all,” said the 65-year-old in response to the Kremlin spokesman's statements . "It is clear that this group had other goals" and the task now is to find out these. According to information from the authorities, the men are said to belong to the private Russian mercenary group Wagner . Minsk accuses them of wanting to cause unrest before the election on Sunday.

Before presidential elections in Belarus - observers suspect campaign maneuvers

Observers did not rule out, however, that the action could be a staged election campaign maneuver by Lukashenko to improve his chances of re-election . In the past few weeks there have been repeated large demonstrations against the president. ( fd )

List of rubric lists: © Sergei Grits / dpa