Onrust in Belarus na gemanipuleerde verkiezingen, extreme repressie #6

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Belarus protests enter 6th week, still demand leader resign

By YURAS KARMANAU September 13, 2020 GMT

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — More than 100,000 demonstrators calling for the authoritarian president of Belarus to resign marched through the capital of Minsk on Sunday as the daily protests that have gripped the nation entered their sixth week.

Many in the crowd, which the human rights group Viasna estimated as numbering more than 150,000, carried placards critical of Russia, reflecting concerns about President Alexander Lukashenko’s planned meeting on Monday with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

It would be their first face-to-face contact since the unrest broke out in Belarus after the Aug. 9 presidential election that officials say gave Lukashenko a sixth term with 80% support. Protesters and some poll workers say the results were rigged.

Putin has said he stands ready to send Russian police into Belarus if the protests turn violent, stoking fears that Moscow could use the political dissent as an excuse to annex its neighbor like it did in Crimea in 2014. The countries have a union agreement envisaging close political, economic and military ties, although Lukashenko has repeatedly expressed concerns that Putin wants Russia to absorb Belarus entirely.

Some observers believe Lukashenko is going into the meeting in a weak position, and that Putin may capitalize on this to try to ease him out of power.

“Lukashenko has not been able to show Putin that he is in control of the situation and has put out the flame of protest, and this may push the Kremlin to seek an alternative scenario and candidate,” independent political analyst Valery Karbalevich told The Associated Press.

Lukashenko has ruled the Eastern European nation of 9.5 million people with an iron fist since 1994, harshly repressing the opposition and the media. But the protesters’ determination appears strong this time, despite daily detentions and reports of police beatings and abuse.

The Interior Ministry said more than 400 people were detained Sunday in Minsk. The ministry also reported that demonstrations took place in 16 other cities, including Brest, where police used water cannon against a crowd of several thousand.

“The source of power in Belarus is the people, not Lukashenko and the Kremlin,” read placards carried by some marchers in Minsk. “Tell me who your friends are and I will say who you are,” read another that bore photos of Lukashenko and Putin.

Police on Sunday set up rows of barbed wire and prisoner transport vehicles and deployed thousands of servicemen to block off the city center from demonstrators, but protesters came together outside the center and marched toward the presidential residence on the city’s outskirts.

Lukashenko, a former collective farm director, has rejected any concessions or mediation attempts and has repeatedly accused Belarus’ western neighbors of working to overthrow his government. In one show of aggressive defiance, he was seen striding with an automatic rifle across the grounds of his presidential residence.

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Op maandag 14 september 2020 10:27 schreef Molo het volgende:
Wordt hier nog internationaal op gereageerd of wordt dit een gevalletje 'we doen net of het er niet is, vliegt vanzelf wel weer over en dan hoeven we onze tengels er niet aan te branden'?

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Lukashenko arrives in Sochi for talks with Russian president

The leaders plan to discuss key issues of further development of Russian-Belarusian relations of strategic partnership and alliance

SOCHI, September 14. /TASS/. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko on Monday arrived in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi where he will hold face-to-face talks with Russian leader Vladimir Putin, the BelTA news agency reported. This is Lukashenko’s first visit abroad after the presidential election that was followed by mass protests.

His visit to Russia was preceded by intensive preparations. The leaders of the two countries held phone conversations six times during August. Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin visited Minsk in early September, while earlier Belarusian Foreign Minister Vladimir Makei had visited Moscow.

The Kremlin press service reported that the leaders plan to discuss key issues of further development of Russian-Belarusian relations of strategic partnership and alliance. "A special focus will be placed on the implementation of major joint projects in the trade-economic, energy and cultural-humanitarian spheres, as well as the prospects for promoting integration processes within the Union State," the Russian leader’s press service noted.

According to Lukashenko, it is planned to dot the i's on the most sensitive issues for the two countries during his meeting with Putin.

The Belarusian President visited Russia and met with Putin on June 30 at the unveiling of the Rzhev memorial in the Tver Region. A couple of days earlier he had attended the victory parade in Moscow. He visited Sochi most recently this February.

The presidential election in Belarus was held on August 9. According to the Central Election Committee, Alexander Lukashenko got 80.1% of the vote. Svetlana Tikhanovskaya was second with 10.12%, she refused to recognize the election results and later participated in the creation of the Coordination Council of the Belarusian opposition. Immediately after exit poll results were announced, mass protest rallies erupted in the country which in the early days were accompanied by clashes between protesters and law enforcement forces. The opposition is urging to continue the protests, while the authorities state the necessity to stop the unauthorized rallies.

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Svetlana Tichanovskja over de ontmoeting van Putin met Lukashenko:

"Ik wil Vladimir Putin er aan herinneren, dat ongeacht welke besluiten jullie nemen of wat jullie overeenkomen ten tijde van het bezoek in Sochi, alles zal geen wettelijke kracht hebben. Alle overeenkomsten die ondertekend worden door de niet-legitieme Lukashenko zullen herzien worden door de nieuwe macht, omdat het Belarussische volk geweigerd heeft om Lukashenko vertrouwen en steun te geven bij de verkiezingen. Het doet mij spijt, dat U besloten heeft de dialoog te voeren met de machtsovernemer en niet met het Belarussische volk".

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Coordination council of Belarussian opposition says wants to be heard in Russia

The council supports development of Russian-Belarusian relations in all fields, the statement says

MINSK, September 14. /TASS/. The Coordination council of the Belarusian opposition seeks to make its point of view heard in Moscow and calls "on all partners and allies, including Russia," to support the political dialogue in the republic, the council said in a statement published on its website Monday.

"It is important for us so that the opinion of a significant part of the Belarusian society is heard and taken into account in Russia. The position of our foreign policy partners and allies, undoubtedly, has significant importance for the Belarusian people, for the future of Belarus and the future of Belarusian-Russian relations. […] Meanwhile, sincere support of a real, not fake, political dialogue will facilitate prompt normalization of the situation in Belarus and development of relations between Belarus and Russia," the statement reads.

The organization added that it advocates comprehensive development of relations between Minsk and Moscow.

"The Coordination council has never proclaimed and does not proclaim now its intent to worsen relations between Russia and Belarus. […] We support development of Russian-Belarusian relations in all fields," the statement says.

The Coordination council’s establishment was initiated by former presidential candidate Svetlana Tikhanovskaya following the presidential elections that took place on August 9. According to the Central Electoral Commission, incumbent president Alexander Lukashenko won with 80.10% of votes. Svetlana Tikhanovskaya came second, with 10.12% of votes. She refused to recognize the results; shortly after the elections, she left the country. Immediately after the results were announced, mass protests sparked across Belarus, causing clashes with the law enforcement during the initial days. The Belarusian opposition’s Coordination council urges to continue protesting until the authorities agree to hold repeat elections, while the authorities demand for the unauthorized rallies to stop.

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Rusland en Belarus hebben overeenstemming bereikt over het verstrekken van een krediet ter waarde van $1,5 miljard aan Minsk

SOCHI, 14 september. /TASS/. Rusland verleent Belarus een staatskrediet ter waarde van $1,5 miljard. zei de Russische president Vladimir Putin maandag bij een ontmoeting met de Belarussische president Aleksandr Lukashenko.

"Wij hebben overeenstemming bereikt over het verstrekken van een staatskrediet door Rusland aan Belarus op dit moeilijke moment ter waarde van $1,5 miljard en wij voerden dat uit. Op dit moment, voor zover bekend, voeren onze ministers van financieen werkzaamheden hieromtrent op een professioneel niveau uit", zei de Russische leider.