Belarussian presidential elections: Thousands protest


– Two opposition leaders beaten

– Tens of thousands gather in Minsk’s Independence Square

– Lukashenko claims 79 per cent of poll

– Index on Censorship told of 31 detentions prior to demonstrations

Belarus Free Theatre founders arrested

Up to 600 protestors detained

As the world’s attention turns to Europe’s last dictatorship, Index’s Mike Harris explains the bakground to today’s demonstrations
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Belarus: Opposition activists detained

Three activists from opposition Malady Front were detained in front of the presidential office. Uladzimer Yaromenak, Eduard Lobau and Hanna Sharuba were holding placards demanding President Alyaksandr Lukashenka to step down. Earlier last week  supporters of opposition candidates were attacked in the western region of Hrodna while distributing leaflets. Belarus’ presidential election is taking place on 19 December 2010.

“My body is in England, my mind still in Belarus”

How do you survive as a journalist in a country ranked worse than Iran on press freedom and worse than Zimbabwe on human rights? In the lead up to next month’s Belarusian presidential elections, exiled reporter Olga Birukova talks to Index on Censorship about her experience as a young journalist
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