Authorities in Belarus have arrested at least 250 people at protests in major cities, rights groups said Wednesday, a day after the main challengers to long-time President Alexander Lukashenko was barred from standing in next month’s election.
Police threatened many of the protesters with serious criminal charges and said the demonstrations were sparked by "internet provocateurs." Many protesters have already been charged with administrative violations and face fines or short jail times.
Rights group Amnesty International condemned "excessive and unnecessary use of force by police." Arrested protesters were forced to kneel and were hit in the face by police, Belarusian rights group Viasna said.
Election candidates barred
Residents were venting their anger over the decision to bar two main rivals from running against authoritarian leader Alexander Lukashenko in August's presidential election.
People voiced their frustration at the exclusion of Valery Tsepkalo and Viktor Babariko from the ballot paper, and removing any serious threat to Lukashenko's quest for a sixth term after a quarter-century in power.
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