Prime Minister Roman Golovchenko, head of the presidential administration Igor Sergeenko, chairman of the Council of the Republic Natalya Kochanova came to Independence Square in Minsk, where a rally in support of President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko is taking place. This was reported on August 16 by the Sputnik Belarus agency.
A tribune and microphones were installed near the Government House. The rally was organized by the pro-government public organization “Belaya Rus”.
Earlier, on Sunday, opponents of the incumbent President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko moved to the Independence Square to the Government House, where an unauthorized protest action is planned.
The presidential cortege had already arrived at the Government House, but the limousine itself did not have the presidential standard.
On August 9, presidential elections were held in Belarus. According to the CEC, 80.1% of voters voted for the incumbent President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko, and 10.1% for the oppositionist Svetlana Tikhanovskaya. Tikhanovskaya’s headquarters did not recognize the results of the vote.
After the announcement of preliminary results in Minsk and other cities, people who disagreed with the election results began to take to the streets. They were opposed by the security forces. In the clashes there are casualties on both sides, one civilian was killed.
A wave of unrest swept across Belarus after the August 9 presidential elections, which were again won by Alexander Lukashenko
Photo: Getty Images
The largest scale of protests was in Minsk
Photo: Getty Images
Protesters, mostly young people, took to the streets three nights in a row
Photo: RIA Novosti / Victor Tolochko
The police used water cannons, tear gas and, according to some sources, rubber bullets to disperse the demonstrators
Photo: RIA Novosti / Victor Tolochko
There are victims from both the demonstrators and the security forces. At least one person known to have died
Photo: REUTERS
In addition to other special equipment, the police also used flash-noise grenades.
Photo: RIA Novosti / Victor Tolochko
On August 12, Belarusian state television reported on the detention of riot coordinators
Photo: RIA Novosti / Victor Tolochko
Protesters in some areas pelted police with Molotov cocktails
Photo: RIA Novosti / Victor Tolochko
In some districts of Minsk, young people began to build barricades from garbage containers and other scrap materials
Photo: REUTERS
EU countries expressed dissatisfaction with the “suppression of civil rights and freedoms” by the law enforcement agencies of Belarus
Photo: RIA Novosti / Victor Tolochko
A large number of wounded are reported in Minsk hospitals. The exact number of victims is unknown
Photo: RIA Novosti / Victor Tolochko
The special forces of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the republic were used to disperse the protesters
Photo: RIA Novosti / Ilya Pitalev
Opposition main candidate Svetlana Tikhanovskaya left the country and recorded a video message calling for an end to the protests
Photo: RIA Novosti / Ilya Pitalev
Accusations of violence against journalists covering the situation sounded against the Belarusian security officials
Photo: REUTERS
According to eyewitnesses, on the third night of the riots, the instigators were detained in the courtyards and entrances of houses
Photo: REUTERS