Thousands form human chains in Belarus after post-vote crackdown

MINSK AFP, 13 Aug, 2020-   Thousands of protesters formed human chains and marched in Belarus on Thursday in a growing wave of peaceful demonstrations over President Alexander Lukashenko’s disputed re-election and an ensuing brutal police crackdown.   

Men and women, many wearing white and holding flowers, took to the streets of the capital Minsk to protest against police brutality during four nights of unrest since Sunday’s vote.   
Lukashenko’s opponents accuse him of rigging the election to defeat his main rival, popular opposition candidate Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, who has left the ex-Soviet country for neighbouring Lithuania.   

Protesters took to the streets across the country to contest the vote results but police used stun grenades, rubber bullets, tear gas, water cannon and, in at least one case, live fire to disperse protesters.   

At least two people have died and hundreds have been wounded in the violence while nearly 7,000 have been arrested.   

On Thursday, some demonstrators held placards reading “Change!” and “No violence” and sported white bracelets that have become a symbol of the opposition movement.   
 “We are against violence, against explosions on our streets, we are in favour of freeing all the detained,” Nastya, a 26-year-old protester, told AFP.