Belarus

Belarus investigates opposition leader Tsikhanouskaya for terrorism

The Belarus prosecutor's office has opened a criminal case against opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act, the Belta news agency said on Monday, citing prosecutor…

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Belarus disqualified from Eurovision Song Contest

Organisers of this year’s Eurovision Song Contest have disqualified Belarus, ruling that its entry song - by a band whose lyrics have been deemed in the past to mock anti-government…

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Belarus president names two former ministers as possible successors

KYIV (Reuters) - Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko on Friday named a former interior minister and a former health minister as possible successors but added that only elections could determine who…

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EU may impose more sanctions on Belarus, says Polish foreign minister

The European Union may impose further sanctions on Belarus after Minsk jailed two journalists for filming protests, Poland's state news agency PAP quoted Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau as saying…

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U.S. hits dozens of Belarusians with visa restrictions for undermining democracy

The United States imposed visa restrictions on 43 Belarusians, including high-ranking justice officials and other government personnel, accusing them of undermining democracy in Belarus. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said…

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EU condemns jailing of reporters in Belarus for filming protests

The European Union condemned a Belarusian court decision to jail two reporters from Poland-based TV news channel Belsat who filmed protests against President Alexander Lukashenko. “Shameful crackdown on media continues;…

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Two journalists jailed for two years in Belarus for filming protests

A Belarusian court sentenced two Belarusian journalists from Poland-based TV news channel Belsat to two years in prison on Thursday, after authorities arrested them for live filming protests against President…

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Lukashenko launches a “People’s Assembly”

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko launched a “People’s Assembly” of 2,700 delegates, most of them allies, on Thursday which he says will discuss political reforms but opponents see as a sham…

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Lithuanian president nominates Belarus opposition leader for Nobel prize – sources

VILNIUS (Reuters) - Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda has nominated Belarus opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya for the Nobel Peace Prize, two sources with knowledge of the matter said on Saturday. Nauseda…

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Belarus opposition leader calls on West for tougher response on Lukashenko

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union and the United States must be "braver and stronger" in their response to helping end the disputed rule of Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko, opposition…

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Pope accepts resignation of Belarus archbishop who angered Lukashenko

Pope Francis on Sunday accepted the resignation of the head of the Catholic Church in Belarus, Archbishop Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz, who spent time in exile last year after angering President Alexander…

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Belarus to allow exiled archbishop to return home

Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko has decided to allow Minsk’s exiled Catholic archbishop to return home after a personal appeal from Pope Francis, the Vatican’s embassy in Minsk said. Archbishop Tadeusz…

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Belarus Opposition leader awarded Sakharov Human Rights Prize

Belarus' opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya,who was forced into exile following the presidential election in August, poses with the Sakharov human rights prize during the award ceremony at European Parliament in…

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More than 130 anti-Lukashenko protesters detained in Belarus – rights group

MOSCOW (Reuters) -Police in Belarus detained 135 demonstrators at a Sunday march, the Belarusian rights group Viasna-96 (Spring-96) said, as weekly protests demanding the resignation of veteran President Alexander Lukashenko…

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Swiss freeze assets of Belarus leader Lukashenko

ZURICH (Reuters) - Switzerland has frozen the financial assets of the president of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, following the violent aftermath of the elections in the east European country. Lukashenko and…

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Hundreds detained as thousands of anti-Lukashenko protesters march in Belarus

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Thousands of demonstrators marched in the Belarus capital Minsk and elsewhere on Sunday as weekly protests demanding the resignation of veteran President Alexander Lukashenko continued, prompting police…

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Lukashenko’s repression no longer working in Belarus, winner of ‘alternative Nobel Prize’ says

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - President Alexander Lukashenko's attempts to stifle opposition in Belarus through violent repression are no longer working, giving life to a popular uprising against his rule, leading human…

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Belarus leader says he will quit when a new constitution is adopted

Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko said on Friday that he would step down as president once a new constitution is adopted and proposed curbing presidential powers as part of the reforms,…

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Dozens detained in Belarus protests – rights group

Belarus police detained dozens of people in Minsk on Sunday during the latest in months of anti-government protests since a disputed presidential election in August, human rights activists reported. Thousands…

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With applause and flowers, thousands attend funeral of Belarusian protester

Thousands of people silently raised their arms in the air, held flowers aloft and broke into chants outside a church in Minsk on Friday at the funeral of a Belarusian…

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Belarus nuclear power plant restarts after equipment replaced

Belarus has resumed operations at a nuclear power plant inaugurated earlier this month by President Alexander Lukashenko, the Ministry of Energy said in a statement on Thursday, following the replacement…

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Belarus police arrest dozens in street protests on Sunday

Police in Belarus on Sunday arrested dozens of people in Minsk demonstrating against Alexander Lukashenko, leader of the ex-Soviet country, a witness said and several media outlets reported. The witness…

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Death of Belarus protester sparks unrest and threat of more EU sanctions

Thousands of people took to the streets of Minsk and other Belarusian cities on Friday, after a 31-year-old anti-government protester died in hospital following what demonstrators said was a severe…

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Belarus security services detain hundreds of protesters in the capital

Hundreds of people were reportedly detained in Minsk on Sunday in the latest anti-government protests since a disputed August election returned Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko to power. After an initial…

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Belarus’ Lukashenko inaugurates nuclear power plant amid safety concerns

Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko inaugurated a nuclear power plant on Saturday that some neighbouring countries have opposed because of safety concerns. Built by Russian state-owned firm Rosatom and financed by…

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Lukashenko partially closes the country’s land borders

Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko partially closed the country's land borders and replaced his interior minister and named three security hawks to new roles on Thursday in an attempt to tighten…

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Belarusian leader Lukashenko replaces his interior minister amid continuing protests

Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko replaced his interior minister on Thursday, the Belta state news agency reported, as he faces mass protests calling for him to leave power. In a related…

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Belarus opposition prepares mass strikes after Lukashenko ignores deadline to quit

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko defied an ultimatum to surrender power by midnight on Sunday, challenging his opponents to make good on their threat to paralyse the country with a national…

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Belarus and Russia will respond to external threats, Lukashenko tells Pompeo: agencies

Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko told U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in a phone call on Saturday that Belarus and Russia were ready to respond jointly to external threats, Russian…

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Democratic opposition in Belarus awarded 2020 Sakharov Prize

The democratic opposition in Belarus has been awarded the 2020 Sakharov Prize by the European Parliament. The annual human rights prize is named after the Soviet physicist and dissident Andrei…

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Protesters defiant in Belarus despite firearms threat

Tens of thousands of people marched through the streets of the Belarusian capital Minsk on Sunday to demand the resignation of veteran president Alexander Lukashenko, despite a threat by officials…

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Belarus puts Tsikhanouskaya on wanted list

Belarus has put opposition leader Svetlana Tsikhanouskaya on its wanted list for allegedly making calls to overthrow the constitutional order, the RIA news agency cited Russia's Interior Ministry as saying…

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Lukashenko given October 25 deadline to resign

Exiled Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya set an Oct. 25 deadline on Tuesday for President Alexander Lukashenko to quit or face nationwide strikes that would paralyse the country. The ultimatum…

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EU: MEPs select the finalists for Sakharov Prize 2020

The democratic opposition in Belarus, Guapinol activists and Berta Cáceres, and the Archbishop of Mosul were shortlisted for the 2020 Sakharov Prize on Monday. Following a joint vote by MEPs…

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Malta condemns violence in Nagorno-Karabakh, supports de-escalation attempts in Eastern Med

Malta has reiterated its support to de-escalation attempts in the Eastern Mediterranean. At a meeting for Foreign and European Affairs in Luxembourg, Foreign Minister Evarist Bartolo urged all parties to…

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Belarus Govt will allow police to use combat weapons against protestors

Belarus police will now be permitted to use combat weapons in the streets if needed, the Interior Ministry said on Monday, as security forces again clashed with protesters who want…

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Borrell heads into ‘intense and complex’ Foreign Affairs Council meeting

Foreign Affairs chief Joseph Borrell said the latest Council meeting would be "intense and complex". "There are a lot of issues on the table: the relationship with Russia, the Belgrade-Pristina…

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Dozens of protestors detained in Belarus

Security forces in Belarus detained dozens of protesters on Sunday and used force, including water cannon and batons, to break up crowds demanding a new presidential election, TV footage showed.…

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Belarus president visits political opponents in prison

Belarus' president visited a prison to talk to opposition activists, who have been jailed for challenging his re-election that was widely seen as manipulated and triggered two months of protests.…

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Belarus opposition leader says any trial for Lukashenko subject to negotiation

Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya said on Thursday the possibility of immunity for Alexander Lukashenko, rather than facing any international trial, could be subject to negotiation to defuse the crisis…

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Bulgaria and Slovakia recalling ambassadors from Belarus

Bulgaria and Slovakia are recalling their ambassadors to Belarus for consultations in solidarity with Lithuania and Poland, their foreign ministers announced after meeting Belarus opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya in Bratislava.…

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Lithuania blocks millions of euros of EU funding to Belarus

Lithuania has blocked 5.8 million euros ($6.83 million) in payments to Belarus for an EU-funded cross-border development programme, fearing the money could be misused, the Lithuanian government revealed. The European…

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EU sanctions ‘a small victory’ – Belarusian opposition leader Tsikhanouskaya

European Union sanctions against 40 officials in Belarus are "a small victory" but should be widened, opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya said on Monday, adding she would press Germany's Angela Merkel…

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Tens of thousands rally in Minsk, police use water cannon

Tens of thousands of people marched through the centre of the Belarusian capital Minsk on Sunday to demand that authorities free political prisoners, prompting police to turn water cannon on…

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Belarus announces sanctions list in retaliation against EU

The Belarusian Foreign Ministry said on Friday it had compiled a list of people barred from entering Belarus in retaliation against sanctions imposed by the European Union. The ministry said…

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EU leaders to impose sanctions on Belarus, to review Turkey’s behaviour in December

EU leaders broke a diplomatic deadlock on Friday and imposed sanctions on Belarus after hours of summit talks, assuring Cyprus that the bloc would also punish Turkey if it continues…

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Cyprus demands sanctions on Turkey as EU summit stalls on Belarus

Cyprus defied pressure to approve European Union sanctions on Belarus at a leaders' summit on Thursday, urging other members of the bloc to also punish Turkey for its oil and…

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EU faces summit impasse on Belarus sanctions as Cyprus stands firm

Cyprus will stand firm at a summit of European Union leaders over the bloc's proposed sanctions on Belarus on Thursday, insisting that they can only be imposed if sanctions are…

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EU leaders to press Cyprus to lift veto over Belarus sanctions

European Union leaders will try to break a stalemate over Belarus on Thursday by untangling a separate standoff with Turkey that has exposed the paralysis in the bloc's decision-making. Meeting…

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Britain and Canada impose sanctions on Belarusian President Lukashenko

Britain and Canada imposed travel bans and asset freezes on Tuesday on Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, his son and other senior officials, accusing their government of rigging an election and committing…

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Macron promises help to Belarus opposition

French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday committed to help mediate in the Belarusian political crisis during a meeting with opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya. "We will do our best as Europeans…

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50th day of protests in Belarus

About 100,000 demonstrators marched in the Belarusian capital calling for the authoritarian president’s ouster, some wearing cardboard crowns to ridicule him, on Sunday as the protests that have rocked the…

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Belarusian police use tear gas, stun grenades against protesters -TASS

Belarusian police said on Sunday they had used tear gas and stun grenades to disperse "disobedient" protesters in the eastern city of Gomel and prevent them from breaking through the…

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Macron says Lukashenko has to go

French President Emmanuel Macron said Sunday that Belarus's leader Alexander Lukashenko must step down, after the EU refused to recognise him as the legitimate president of the ex-Soviet country. It's…

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Belarus accuses West of sowing chaos and anarchy

Belarusian Foreign Minister Vladimir Makei accused Western countries on Saturday of attempting to sow "chaos and anarchy" in the former Soviet republic, which has been rocked by street protests since…

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Belarus police detain dozens as crowds chant against Lukashenko

Belarusian security forces detained dozens of protesters on Saturday as crowds rallied in central Minsk accusing President Alexander Lukashenko of rigging last month's election. One group of women chanted "Our…

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U.S., UK, Canada plan sanctions on Belarusian officials

The United States, Britain and Canada plan to impose sanctions on Belarusian individuals following what they view as a rigged election and violence against peaceful protesters since, six sources familiar…

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