MINSK (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 21st June, 2020) Police in Belarus detained around� 270 people who attended pickets organized by opposition presidential hopefuls on Friday over disobedience and breach of mass gathering rules, the Belarusian Ministry of the Interior told Sputnik on Saturday.
Throughout Thursday and Friday, pickets were arranged in various Belarusian cities, including in the capital of Minsk, to collect signatures in support of opposition presidential would-be candidates. Some of the pickets grew into mass gatherings, with people standing in miles-long lines, dubbed "chains of solidarity," for hours to protest against the detention of opposition candidates and activists.
"About 270 protocols on administrative offenses have been issued to citizens, mainly for the violation of rules of the organization or conduct of public events, as well as disobedience to law enforcement in the exercise of official authority," the ministry spokeswoman said.
On behalf of the ministry, the spokeswoman called upon Belarusian citizens to obey law and order and avoid creating "conflict and provocation."
Belarus is due to hold a presidential election on August 9. Friday was the last day when candidates could collect signatures in an enough quantity to be able to enroll. The registration of candidates will run from July 5-14 and the pre-election campaigns will start on July 14 to run through August 8.
