Last Friday was the last day for those who want to run for president in August to collect signatures. To register as a candidate in the election, at least 100,000 signatures are required. Seven people qualified. Two of them have been jailed during the election campaign.

At the end of May, the blogger and activist Siarhej Tsichanouski was arrested. His wife, Svetlana Tsichanouska then decided to run instead of her husband. On Thursday, President Alexander Lukashenko's main challenger, businessman and banker Viktar Babaryko, was arrested. He and his son Edvard, who is the campaign manager for his father, were arrested when they were about to submit the signatures, says Babaryko's campaign site.

They are both charged with financial crime. Several friends and former colleagues of Babarykos have previously been prosecuted for similar crimes. It is not uncommon for the Belarusian regime to use the judiciary to approach political opponents.

Protests in the streets

The arrests caused thousands of already dissatisfied citizens to venture out into the streets of Belarus over the weekend. Police were deployed against the protesters and hundreds were arrested, along with election workers and journalists who were sent to guard the protests. Most were later released, but according to Belarusian human rights organizations, several of those arrested testify about torture.

EU Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen has called on the Belarusian regime to immediately release both protesters and imprisoned presidential candidates. The Swedish Foreign Minister expressed his concern over the situation on Twitter and wrote that Belarus authorities should allow free elections and ensure that citizens' rights are respected. 

The Swedish organization Östgruppen, which works for democracy and human rights in Eastern Europe, requires that Sweden and the EU stop all political and economic cooperation with the regime, including Swedish assistance to Belarus.