Belarusian security forces have arrested alleged organizers of the protests on the third night of massive demonstrations against the regime, state news agency Belta reported Wednesday.
One of the organizers would have been arrested in a hotel. Two Russian journalists would also have been arrested.
Thousands of protesters have taken to the streets across the country since Sunday’s presidential election. They accuse dictator Alexander Lukashenko of tampering with the election results. In total, more than 5,000 protesters have already been arrested.
The internet hardly worked in Belarus during the night from Tuesday to Wednesday. The connection was not restored until the morning. With that tactic, the authorities want to keep protests small and prevent people from forming networks.
According to observers, the security forces have acted harder against protesters this time than in the previous nights. Photos show police officers beating protesters with clubs.
Security forces also attacked motorists honking through the streets. Outside the capital Minsk there were also significant protests, in which people set up blockades.
