Belarus Mass Protests After Lukashenko Sworn In

ICBPS- Belarus Mass Protests are continuing in Minsk after Alexander Lukashenko sworn in ceremony for a sixth term.

Belarusian security forces and Police fired tear gas at peaceful protesters in Minsk who took to the streets to demonstrate against Alexander Lukashenko being sworn in for a sixth term on September 23, 2020.

“Over 150 Belarusians were arrested across the country, including in the capital city Minsk, and the southwestern city of Brest,” according to the Viasna rights group.

This is what Minsk looks like tonight pic.twitter.com/XWGeZrLCt1

— Nick Connolly (@niklasconnolly) September 23, 2020

“The so-called inauguration took place in secret and with no prior announcement as just senior officials attended.”

Belarus Mass Protests are continuing in the country as the demonstrators demand the resignation of the long-time Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko, who has been re-elected as President amid cries of foul play from the opposition. 

The election was rigged as Lukashenko looks to extend his five-term presidency took over since 1994. The 65-year-old Lukashenko claimed that he won the sixth presidential term with an alleged 80 percent vote in the August 9 ballot.

For about two months, people have taken to the streets to protest over the early August disputed elections.

On September 5, thousands of women in Belarus have marched through the capital of Belarus, Minsk calling for the resignation of the Belarusian ruler Alexander Lukashenko who his security agents have detained dozens of peaceful protesters as the nationwide uprising continued.

Thousands of women, in the separate marches, chanted “hands off the children.”

For the first time in the wave of the uprising, supporters of LGBT rights appeared with rainbow flags in the women’s march in Minsk.

• ICBPS MORNING BRIEF: Belarus Opposition Leader Detained By Masked Men

Masked men in broad daylight abducted early September, the Belarus opposition leader Maria Kolesnikova. The leading opposition figure Maria Kolesnikova has gone missing, shortly after witnesses claimed she was handcuffed and bundled by unidentified men into a minivan near the History Museum in the Belarusian capital Minsk, around 10:05 AM.

Belarusian opposition activist Olga Kovalkova also was forced to leave Belarus after an arrest.

Once again, in a violent act, Police beat and arrested a 31-year-old Dr. Alyaksei Byalastotski, who helped police brutality victims. The urologist from the 4th Minsk Clinical Hospital was brutally arrested and beaten in a minivan at the police station.

The Institute of Capacity Building for Political Studies (ICBPS) is a non-governmental research institute focusing on political studies, international security, and international relations.