The scale of the subsequent protests has been unlike anything Belarus had seen. Belarusians have been following Hong Kong’s “Be Water” tactic – a flexible protest strategy that avoids direct confrontation with police. Lukashenko emerged with about 80% of the votes, according to official exit polls after voting ended Aug. 9. "There are two options now: either this fracture will continue to crack little by little or there will be another blow to the regime and then it will all fall apart. Several hundred students gathered in Minsk and marched through the city center,... Police detain students during a protest in Minsk, Belarus, on Sept. 1, 2020. What is happening today in Belarus cannot be called elections. "American leadership is very needed in such moments. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that the United States and European partners are together reviewing targeted sanctions on anyone involved in human rights abuses in Belarus. According to BBC News, Belarus police also shoot live rounds at protesters. Belarus is not a member of the European Union. This is because by constitution the president handles a lot of power.” He also suggested that the female opposition leader, Tsikhanouskaya, should focus on cooking dinner for her children. Moving scene from Minsk. Belarus was also included in the Russian Empire between 1795–1918. (Changes) became a protest anthem. Russian President Vladimir Putin says that "reserve" forces are ready to back Lukashenko if "the situation gets out of control" sparking concerns about the similarity with Russia's actions in 2014 – after a popular revolution in Ukraine, Russia illegally annexed Crimea and invaded eastern Ukraine. The number of subscribers nearly quadrupled over three days, from 300 thousand to more than 1 million. Tsikhanouskaya is like Pashinyan (the prime minister of Armenia.)". Officials also confirmed the death of a 25-year-old man who died in police custody. The major symbol of the Belarus uprising became the historic white, red, and white flag as opposed to the official green and red flag. According to the U.N., most people reported missing have been accounted for, but the whereabouts and state of health of at least six individuals remain unknown to their relatives. Get your need-to-know Lukashenko’s response to the opposition shows how a cornered rat behaves — with mass arrests, death threats, and attempts to shut down or limit access to the internet. Fans torn over color of Billie Eilish's shoes. The country has been a member of the United Nations since its founding, and is also a member of the Commonwealth of Independent States. “We Belarusians are peaceful people,” states the country's national anthem. Three of the leading members of the opposition-led Coordination Council have been abducted. A heavy police contingent blocked central squares and avenues, moving quickly to disperse protesters and detained dozens. Experts from the U.N. reported that there are at least 450 documented cases of torture and ill-treatment of people arrested after Aug. 9. At the beginning of the protest movement, protests were mainly decentralized. "In Belarus, everyone constantly followed the U.S. and waited for what Americans would say. Belarus is located between Russia and other members of NATO. The hero approached the police with his hands up — and they simply shot him for no reason at all.#Belarus pic.twitter.com/qZwUYjEuLd. Belarus was included in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth after that, which was at its most powerful in the 17th century before being officially dissolved in 1795. What is happening in Belarus at the moment, and why? The accidental leader of the people (of Belarus) is similar to Armenia's. Lukashenko has ruled there since the breakup of the Soviet Union. The famous Soviet perestroika-era song "Peremen!" The Principality of Polotsk controlled the land between the 11th and 14th centuries. Lukashenko has ruled there since the breakup of the Soviet Union. Many have been detained as police moved to break up the crowds. Europe is a vast continent, full of variety and lesser-known countries that you might be curious about. Belarus is a country in Eastern Europe bordering Poland, Ukraine, Lithuania, Latvia and Russia. Belarus is bordered by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. According to local media, they were kidnapped by unknown people in the center of Minsk. Throughout its history – right up until the 20th century – Belarus was controlled by these neighbouring states. According to Viacorka, rallies continue after 20 days of protest, from big cities to small villages. Riot police were recorded using ambulances, reportedly using them to apprehend people. Belarus is currently embroiled in unprecedented protests, following 26-years of rule under Alexander Lukashenko. Since Aug. 9, thousands of pro-democracy protesters across Belarus – a European country a little smaller than Kansas – have taken to the streets every day to demand the resignation of President Alexander Lukashenko, following national elections that his opponents and international governments widely consider fraudulent. Putin also agreed to provide an emergency loan of $1.5 billion to Lukashenko's administration after meeting between the two leaders in Sochi. Gatherings have been taking place spontaneously, and the participants, other Belarusians, and people living outside the country often find out information about what is happening through Telegram channels. The majority of the population of Belarus is set against Lukashenko, and even his supporters don't back him anymore after seeing violence against peaceful protesters. During the pandemic, Lukashenko repeatedly downplayed the danger from the disease advising Belarusians to visit the sauna and drink vodka to avoid falling ill. More than 700 people have died in Belarus from COVID-19. MORE: How Europe is slowly coming out of lockdown and UK could follow. “Our society has not matured enough to vote for a woman. Many have been beaten and arrested since. Belarus is located between Russia and other members of NATO. The Bush administration called him 'Europe's last dictator.' On Tuesday, Tikhanovskaya fled Belarus to neighbouring Lithuania. Cougar stalks and lunges at Utah hiker. Originally, it was performed by Russian 1980s rock star Viktor Tsoi and his band Kino shortly before the fall of the Soviet Union. In a clampdown on press freedom, the government recently withdrew the accreditation of 17 journalists working for foreign media outlets. But the entire opposition united around these women," said Franak Viacorka, a Belarusian journalist and pro-democracy activist who is currently in Minsk. There is no single leader organizing the protests. A report by Amnesty International found that many of those arrested are being “stripped naked, beaten, and threatened with rape.”, Nikita Telizhenko, a journalist with the Russian online newspaper Znak.com, was arrested on the evening of Aug. 10. Modern day Belarus as an independent country was established in 1991. According to Viacorka, there is no going back for the regime. Three countries have implemented sanctions against Belarusian officials, so far. In a video released Friday, she challenged the results, saying that copies of protocols from precincts where the … According to Viacorka, the events in Belarus can be compared with Polish solidarity strikes, and with forms of protest in Hong Kong. Often regarded as a dictator, with the Guardian’s Sigrid Rausing labelling Belarus ‘Europe’s last dictatorship’ in 2012, Lukashenko has presided over Belarus as their president for 26 years. His main rival, Svetlana Tsikhanouskaya, won about 7%. Hundreds of organizations and enterprises around the country have joined the protests. Read on for a short history of Belarus and which countries Belarus borders…. If you’ve ever found yourself watching the Eurovision Song Contest and wondered just where exactly some of the countries, like Belarus, are, let us shed some light. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. One of the factors driving violence is the influence of state propaganda on police, according to Viacorka. In some rallies, protestors also sing folk songs. "What happened after the elections is a national tragedy," Viacorka said. 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