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Calls growing for Lukashenko to resign
Protests are continuing across Belarus against Alexander Lukashenko after the results of a presidential vote appeared to give him a sixth term in office.
Lukashenko claimed victory in the August 9 election with 80 percent of the vote. Opponents say the election results are fraudulent. After the election demonstrators took to the streets where they were forcibly dispersed and many detained by the security forces. But hundreds of thousands of people continued to protest, even at state-run enterprises which are under the control of Lukashenko's government. On Monday, workers at the country's state broadcaster went on strike.
President Lukashenko delivered a speech at a factory in the capital Minsk, stressing that the vote was free of fraud. He was heckled by the crowd with some chanting "get out" and calling on him to step down. The president had to suspend his address momentarily. Svetlana Tikhanouskaya, his main rival in the election, is now in neighboring Lithuania. In a video message on Monday, she thanked people for supporting her. She said she is ready to act as the national leader.
Amid the rising tension, the leaders of European Union member countries decided to hold an emergency online summit on Wednesday. EU leaders are expected to express their opposition to violence against citizens, as well as to discuss a plan to impose sanctions on Belarus. They will also likely talk about Russia, which is ready to offer military support to Belarus if necessary.
The Japanese embassy in Belarus said a Japanese national in his 20s is in custody at a detention facility in Minsk after being captured by authorities last week. Embassy officials are investigating why he was detained, and whether he was taking part in protests.
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200818_05/