Factory Workers Reject Lukashenko’s Visit as Protests Grow

“I’m ready to take on the responsibility and act as a national leader in order for the country to calm down, return to its normal rhythm, in order for us to free all the political prisoners and prepare legislation and conditions for organizing new presidential elections,” she said.

After the police crackdown and reports of abuse provoked widespread anger, the authorities backed off, allowing big weekend protests and releasing many of the detainees.

The interior ministry said that just 122 detainees were still in custody as of Monday.

Huge crowds turned out Saturday to pay their respects to Alexander Taraikovsky, a protester who died on August 10.

The authorities initially claimed he died when an explosive device he intended to throw at police blew up in his hands, but Associated Press video showed that he had no explosive when he fell on the ground, his shirt bloodied.

His partner said his body had a perforation in his chest that she believes was a bullet wound.

The interior minister stepped back from the official version Sunday, acknowledging that Taraikovsky might have been killed by a rubber bullet.

On Sunday, an estimated 200,000 people filled the central Independence Square and nearby avenues in the largest protest the country has ever seen.

In Brussels, European Council President Charles Michel convened an emergency summit of EU leaders on Wednesday to discuss the handling of the election and the crackdown.

“The people of Belarus have the right to decide on their future and freely elect their leader," Michel said in a tweet. “Violence against protesters is unacceptable and cannot be allowed.”

On Friday, the 27 EU foreign ministers underlined that the elections were neither free nor fair and decided to start drawing up a list of people who could face sanctions over their role in the violence.

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier urged Lukashenko Monday to “follow the path of talks, not to rely on violence but on dialogue”.

“I appeal to the Belarusian military not to sin by using violence against their own people,” he said. 

(Writer: Yuras Karmanau) 

Source: https://apnews.com/d67642e432766cd663181a0ee2992cd5