BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS
DATE:
21/12/2010
Belarus uprising violently suppressed
Belarussian police smash up election corruption protests as President Lukashenko promises an end to "senseless democracy".
Thousands of baton-wielding riot police violently crushed an opposition protest in Minsk, the capital of Belarus, on Sunday night thwarting an attempt to storm the main government building.
As Mr Lukashenko's officials declared him the winner of Sunday's presidential election with almost 80 per cent, he sounded a defiant note.
"There is not going to be a revolution in Belarus," the 56-year-old autocrat declared. "What was attempted yesterday (Sunday) in Minsk is banditry."
Mr Lukashenko, who has been in power since 1994 making him Europe's longest serving leader, insisted that the vote had been "honest." But international observers and the opposition disagreed.
Seven of the nine presidential candidates opposing the president were arrested, while riot police made more than 600 arrests, according to Mr Lukashenko.
One of the candidates, Vladimir Neklyaev, was badly beaten as he led his supporters in protest. Seven men wearing civilian clothing later plucked him from his hospital bed as his wife screamed and drove him off in an unknown direction.
Source:
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