MINSK (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 07th August, 2020) Several thousand opposition protesters have gathered in Minsk's Kievsky Square as early voting continues in the Belarusian presidential election, a Sputnik correspondent at the scene reports.
At 19:00 local time on Thursday [16:00 GMT], presenters of an event taking place in the square turned on the song "Changes" by famous Russian rock band Kino, and the audience began to chant "Long live Belarus!" An individual in civilian clothes then turned off the song, although the crowd did not disperse.
Presidential candidate Svetlana Tikhanovskaya had previously called for protesters to gather in the square on Thursday evening. Maria Kolesnikova, a member of barred candidate Viktor Babariko's campaign team, also appeared at the protest and was greeted with applause, the correspondent said.
Law enforcement officers have yet to intervene, the correspondent said.
Early voting has already begun in the Belarusian presidential election, which sees four opposition candidates taking on incumbent Alexander Lukashenko. The final day of voting is scheduled to take place on Sunday.
Speaking on Thursday, Lukashenko said that some of the people who were detained in the country ahead of the election either had US passports or were linked to State Department officials.
