Belarus Police Detain Hundreds of Women at Protest

Riot cops on Saturday restrained numerous ladies, dragging several right into vans, as opposition protesters marched through the Belarusian capital Minsk requiring an end to President Alexander Lukashenko’s rule.

The women were taken by trouble authorities in black uniforms and also balaclavas as well as police officers in unmarked khaki attires and also plain-clothed police officers in face masks.

Authorities obstructed the females and also started drawing them right into paddy wagon as they stood with connected hands, quickly restraining hundreds, an AFP reporter saw. Cops lifted some females off their feet in order to remove them.

Around 2 thousand females participated in the “Sparkly March”, wearing glossy accessories and also lugging red-and-white flags of the objection movement.

The march was the latest in a collection of all-women objections calling for the strongman to leave following his questioned victory in elections last month.

His resistance rival Svetlana Tikhanovskaya also asserted the victory.

Alleged police physical violence as well as torture of detainees complying with the political elections have actually motivated the European Parliament to call for assents versus Lukashenko and also other participants of his regimen.

Protest with ‘lady’s face’

In a declaration released in advance of the march, Tikhanovskaya, who has actually taken sanctuary in Lithuania, applauded the “endure females of Belarus”.

” They are marching despite being frequently alarmed as well as put under stress,” she stated.

The marchers shouted mottos such as “Get out, you and also your trouble police!” as well as “We believe we can win!”

Among the placards check out: “Our objection has a woman’s face,” a reference to the title of a popular book by the Belarusian Nobel prize champion Svetlana Alexievich, who has actually backed the resistance cause.

Among those apprehended on Saturday was Nina Baginskaya, a 73-year-old lobbyist who has actually turned into one of the best-known faces of the demonstration motion, known for her determined antics and regularly commemorated with an incantation of “Nina! Nina!”.

Authorities removed the flag and also blossoms she was bring as they pushed her right into a van however launched her outside a police headquarters soon after that.

Police apprehended many protesters that they lacked area in vans, launching around 10 women.

Some women managed to flee as well as nestled in a close-by nail bar, Tut.by news website reported.

Rescues were called after several ladies ended up being weak during the detentions. The Belarusian Association of Journalists said that a reporter had been detained as well as had his nose broken.

Viasna rights team released an on-line listing of names of 217 ladies detained in Minsk, claiming the list was being upgraded.

Authorities have not yet provided a number of apprehended.

The objection came as the opposition results from hold mass demonstrations on Sunday and also Tikhanovskaya will fulfill European Union foreign preachers as well as the bloc’s diplomatic principal in Brussels on Monday.

The females’s demonstrations started in Belarus after Lukashenko’s use of extreme violence versus restrained demonstrators.

Women began forming human chains and also marching via Minsk as well as other cities wearing white clothing as well as bring flowers in tranquil presentations that police initially permitted to go ahead.

Last weekend break, authorities strongly restrained a number of dozen at a comparable women’s objection.

Lukashenko last week warned of a possible “battle” with some nearby nations and has actually counted on Russia for support after rejecting to step down.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *