MINSK (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 15th August, 2020) More than 20,000 people participated in a rally near Grodno City Executive Committee to demand resignation of the current Belarusian government amid violent protests in the country.
All participants of the daytime rallies, as well as employees of large public and private enterprises gathered at the Lenin Square near the committee building. After 5 p. m. (14:00 GMT), other local residents started joining the rally.
Mieczyslaw Goy, the chairman of the city executive committee, told protesters that all Grodno residents detained during unauthorized rallies over the past days would be released on Friday.
Mass protests have been ongoing in Belarus since the late hours of Sunday, when the first election results showed Lukashenko secure his sixth term with over 80 percent of the vote, and the opposition challenged the outcome.
The demonstrations have been harshly suppressed by the security forces, with law enforcement officers using tear gas, water cannons and rubber bullets on protesters. Hundreds of people, including security officers, were injured in clashes that erupted. Thousands were arrested and many journalists, both domestic and foreign, went missing.
