Water cannons, detention busses and other specialized vehicles of the Belarusian law enforcement have begun appearing in central Minsk as unrest over the contentious presidential election continues, a Sputnik correspondent reported from the scene
MINSK (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 11th August, 2020) Water cannons, detention busses and other specialized vehicles of the Belarusian law enforcement have begun appearing in central Minsk as unrest over the contentious presidential election continues, a Sputnik correspondent reported from the scene.
Some 2,000 people were detained by early Tuesday in ongoing protests which erupted in Belarus late on Sunday after an official exit poll indicated that incumbent President Alexander Lukashenko won with a wide margin.
Riot police have employed tear gas, rubber bullets and water cannons to disperse protesters from most major cities in the country. Assaults and detentions of journalists, many from Russia, have triggered condemnation from both sides of Belarus' border.
According to official results, surprise opposition candidate Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, who galvanized a considerable movement in the leadup to the August 9 vote, collected just over 10 percent of the vote, while perennial strongman Lukashenko claimed over 80 percent.
