Belarus ambassador declares solidarity with opposition protesters
‘I stand in solidarity with those who came out on the streets of Belarusian cities with peaceful marches so that their voice could be heard’
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The Belarusian ambassador to Slovakia has broken rank to declare solidarity with protesters in Belarus following the country’s disputed presidential election.
“I stand in solidarity with those who came out on the streets of Belarusian cities with peaceful marches so that their voice could be heard. The Belarusians have achieved this right through suffering,” Igor Leshchenya said in a video posted by Nasha Niva media on Saturday.
Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko, in power for 26 years, has faced down a week of street demonstrations and refused demands for a re-run of an election protesters say was massively rigged to disguise the fact that he has lost public support.
He denies losing, citing official results that gave him just over 80 per cent of the vote.
The 65-year-old leader has alleged a foreign-backed plot to topple him. He has also cited promised military support from Russian president Vladimir Putin if necessary, something the Kremlin has not confirmed.
The EU is gearing up to impose new sanctions on Belarus in response to a violent crackdown in which at least two protesters have been killed and thousands detained.
Protesters show no signs of backing down.
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, Mr Lukashenko’s opposition rival in the contested election, has called for a huge “March of Freedom” through the centre of Minsk, the Belarusian capital, on Sunday morning.
Like previous protests, it is expected to culminate on Independence Square outside the main government building.
At the same time, Mr Lukashenko’s supporters are expected to hold a pro-government rally in central Minsk – setting the stage for potential confrontation between the two groups.
Metal fencing around Independence Square was being installed on Sunday morning with agricultural vehicles used to close off nearby roads.
Opposition media channels say Mr Lukashenko, a one-time manager of a Soviet-era collective farm, plans to bus people in from other parts of the country and that they will be coerced into attending. Reuters could not independently confirm that.
Videos on social media showed long columns of buses with pro-Lukashenko supporters onboard driving towards Minsk from various regions.
Additional reporting by Reuters
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments