Human chains and peaceful marches multiplied, Thursday, August 13 in Belarus, to protest against the violent repression of the movement protesting the controversial re-election of President Alexander Lukashenko.

In the evening, the authorities announced that they had released more than 1,000 demonstrators, while, in the streets of the capital Minsk, the police presence was much weaker than during the four previous evenings of protest.

The president of the Senate, Natalia Kotchanova, affirmed on public television that these protesters had been released with the obligation not to participate in unauthorized gatherings. For his part, the Minister of the Interior, Yuri Karaev, apologized on Thursday, also on public television, for the violence committed against "passers-by" and "random people" who were not involved in the violence. protest actions.

"Threats of rape"

Since Sunday, more than 6,700 people had been officially arrested. Numerous cases of police violence have also been reported. To protest against this repression, thousands of people still formed human chains at the beginning of the night in several places of Minsk, supported by the horns of motorists. Similar gatherings were reported in other towns.

This form of mobilization, inaugurated the day before by dozens of women dressed in white, has so far not triggered repressive measures comparable to those targeting the nocturnal demonstrations. "We are against violence, explosions, we are for honest elections," Nastia, 26, an artist in the digital sector, told AFP, participating in a rally in the center of the capital. 

In a statement, the NGO Amnesty International reported Thursday cases of demonstrators "stripped naked, beaten and threatened with rape" while in detention in the regime's prisons.

More than 1,000 Belarusian researchers signed a letter "against violence", while caregivers gathered in front of their establishments. Performers from the Minsk Philharmonic also sang patriotic songs in front of the building. According to opposition media, similar actions took place in important factories.

Silence by Svetlana Tikhanovskaïa

These protest movements come after four nights of repression of the demonstrations against the re-election on Sunday, deemed fraudulent by the protesters, of the strong man from Belarus, in power for 26 years, and officially credited with 80% of the vote. For the demonstrators, it was Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, a political novice, who won, after a campaign that aroused unprecedented fervor in this ex-Soviet republic. She has not spoken since Tuesday, after her hasty departure for Lithuania. According to her supporters, she has suffered threats from the security forces.

In a joint declaration, the presidents of Lithuania, Latvia, Poland and Estonia, all neighbors of Belarus, called on Thursday for "de-escalation" and called for the establishment of a dialogue with the people. .

The United States and the European Union (EU) denounced electoral fraud and repression, with Europeans threatening Minsk with sanctions. The Belarusian ambassador in Berlin was also summoned. An extraordinary meeting of EU foreign ministers is due to take place on Friday on the situation in that country.

Celebrities have stepped up criticism of the authorities, while several state media journalists have announced their resignations in recent days. Retired and active Belarusian soldiers and police officers also anonymously denounced the crackdown, showing videos in which they are seen throwing stripes and badges.

With AFP

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