Belarus is experiencing unprecedented mass protests following a disputed presidential election on 9 August, which long-time leader Alexander Lukashenko is widely believed to have rigged. More than 100,000 people have gathered in central Minsk for four consecutive Sundays, with over 600 detained during the 6 September protests alone.
The opposition movement, demanding new democratic leadership and economic reform, has been fuelled by complaints of widespread corruption, poverty, and low pay, compounded by the coronavirus crisis. President Lukashenko, in power since 1994, has been accused of preserving Soviet-era state control and using censorship and police crackdowns against opponents.
On election night, violent clashes led to 3,000 arrests across the country, with police using tear gas, rubber bullets, and stun grenades for the first time. The main opposition candidate, Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, who stood in place of her arrested husband, was detained for seven hours and forced to leave for Lithuania after claiming she had won 60-70% of the vote where properly counted.
Official results gave Lukashenko 80% of the vote, but the opposition documented numerous irregularities, including an internet blackout lasting several days. The scale of the protests is unprecedented, with rallies for Lukashenko being much smaller. Allegations of police brutality have also emerged, alongside processions of women in white and walkouts at major state enterprises.
