Protests in Belarus continue, opposition insists on EU sanctions

(Patria) – 50 days after the results of the disputed elections in Belarus were announced, mass protests in that country are still ongoing with no indication that they will stop soon despite brutal suppression by government security forces.

Around 100,000 citizens gathered in the center of Minsk on Sunday, demanding the resignation of the re-elected long-time leader Alexander Lukashenko, who was sworn in last week, provoking negative reactions from the international community.

More than 200 citizens were arrested during yesterday's protests, according to the human rights organization Viasna.

Prominent opposition figure Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who was the first to officially challenge the presidential election results in which she participated as a candidate, encouraged the citizens of Belarus to continue peaceful demonstrations.

About a hundred women who participated in the protests were arrested the day before, while hundreds of demonstrators were arrested last weekend.

Although the EU has announced sanctions against Lukashenko on several occasions, the bloc's foreign ministers have not yet reached an agreement in this regard. Tsikhanouskaya called on them to be 'braver', emphasizing that sanctions are significant in the fight against Lukashenko's regime.