MINSK, September 14. /TASS/: Almost 30 protest activities took place in Belarus on Sunday, the overall number of protesters did not exceed 22,000, Interior Ministry Spokesperson Olga Chemodanova said in a statement on Telegram.
"Twenty-eight protest activities were recorded across the country yesterday, on September 13. The overall number of participants did not exceed 22,000," the statement reads.
According to Chemodanova, "774 people were detained for violating the law on public events." In particular, 500 people were apprehended in the country’s capital of Minsk.
"As many as 544 people will remain in custody until administrative hearings take place," the statement adds.
According to the Interior Ministry, protesters damaged three police cars in the city of Novopolotsk and a protester attacked police officers in the city of Mogilev. In Brest, law enforcement officers had to use a water cannon to disperse demonstrators in order to ensure traffic safety.
Belarus held its presidential election on August 9. According to the Central Election Commission’s data, incumbent President Alexander Lukashenko received 80.1% of the vote, while Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, who garnered 10.12%, refused to recognize the election’s results. Protests erupted in the country's capital of Minsk and several other cities following the presidential vote, leading to clashes between protesters and law enforcement officers. The opposition’s Coordination Council keeps calling on the country’s people to carry on with protests, while the authorities are emphasizing the need to put an end to unauthorized activities.
