Mass detention in Belarus after anti-govt protest

At least 1,000 people were detained across Belarus on Sunday, according to local human rights watchdog Viasna, amid mass demonstrations against longstanding leader Alexander Lukashenko, which were prompted by the results of an August election that protesters say was rigged.

It is the largest number of detentions reported in a single day since the protests began. The total number of people detained since August is believed to be over 25,000, according to Viasna.

Sunday marked the fourteenth week in a row that protesters have taken to the streets demanding the resignation of Lukashenko, who has ruled the country for 26 years.

The mass detentions followed the death of Roman Bondarenko, a 31-year-old anti-government protester, who died in a hospital in Minsk on Thursday after he was severely beaten by security forces, according to demonstrators and his family members.

Protesters chanted and carried signs with the words “I’m going out,” which were Bondarenko’s last known words on a Telegram chat before he died. He was beaten at Minsk’s “square of change,” which was the final point for all Minsk protesters on Sunday. Bondarenko was a painter, who lived in Minsk and had served in the military.

Belarus opposition supporters wearing face masks attend a rally to protest against the Belarus presidential election results in Minsk, on November 15.

His sister, Volga Kucharenka, said in a video on Thursday that Bondarenko was beaten at the central police department, or on the way to this department. She said he was taken from Minsk’s central police department to the hospital on Wednesday night after suffering severe injuries. He died the next day at around 8pm local time, she said.

“Tonight I have found out that my brother has died in the hospital after being the whole day in the intensive care room,” Kucharenka said in the video Thursday while barely containing her tears.

“Roman did not provoke the fight, I know for sure, I know from eyewitnesses. All bad had happened later… I made this video to let people know what is going on. My brother was a calm and positive guy, he always avoided conflicts.”

Credit: cnn.com

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