The 91st day of peaceful protests since the day of the Belarusian presidential elections: More than a thousand detainees, torture and brutal beatings by government security forces, changes in detention tactics. Despite the genocide, Belarusians do not surrender
8 November 2020 | BYHelp-Mediagroup
More than 1,050 people in Belarus were detained on 8 November
Today, Belarusians went on the traditional Sunday protest march. In response, the authorities deployed a maximum number of armored personnel carriers (APCs), water cannon and government security forces.
According to eyewitnesses, today there were far more people in uniform than usual in the center [of Minsk]. Judging by the license plates on the water cannon and APCs, the security forces were gathered from all over the country.
The protesters took to the streets of Belarusian cities, but the security forces did not allow them to gather in columns. There were many provocateurs in the crowd. People were driven into yards, where ambushes were set.
Non-lethal weapons were still used. The security forces conducted checks on visitors to shopping centers and cafes, demanding that they show their personal belongings and phones.
At a police department, detainees stood with their hands up for over 10 hours near a wall in the street. Many have compared the actions of the Belarusian security forces against their own citizens to those of the Nazis against Belarusians.
The best people of the country are detained
“Thank you to our defenders! Today, law enforcement officers needed only a few hours to clear the city of real scum. As always, they did a great job,” wrote a journalist of state propaganda newspaper “Belarus Today”.
Among the thousands of detained Belarusians, there are:
Volha Khizhynkova – a famous model, Miss Belarus 2008, participant of the Miss World international beauty pageant contest, ex-press secretary of the Dynamo Brest football club, charity benefactor;
Source: Roman Kalinovskiy via Facebook
Andrei Krauchanka – a Belarusian athlete, silver medalist in decathlon at the 2008 Olympic Games, silver medalist of two world championships, European champion in decathlon and heptathlon, Honored Master of Sports;
Ivan Ganin – winner of the World Cup in kickboxing, silver medalist of the World Championship in kickboxing, multiple champion of the Republic of Belarus in kickboxing and Thai boxing, Master of Sports;
Siamion Bukin – former performer in Cirque du Soleil;
Aliaksandr Zhdanovich – an actor from the Gorky National Academic Theater of Drama, host of the most popular children’s TV show “Kalykhanka”, on which more than one generation of Belarusians grew up;
Source: Symbal.by via Facebook
Jura Dziwakou – one of the brightest contemporary Belarusian directors, actor from Belarus Free Theatre.
Three Red Cross volunteers also were detained.
The total number of detainees in Belarus over the last five months (before and after the elections) is approaching 20,000.
Source: Onliner Stock
Source: TUT.BY
Detention of three Red Cross volunteers:
Inspection of personal belongings in the shopping center at 3 Niamiha Street:
After dispersal and harsh detentions in the afternoon, people began to gather for evening actions
After 7 pm, people began to return to the streets in various districts of Minsk and other cities, so APCs, water cannon and security forces returned to Minsk as well. People were detained all across Minsk.
Meanwhile, a pro-Lukashenko rally was organized by the authorities
A mass pro-government car rally called “For a United Belarus!” was held near Minsk. Cars from all over the Republic [of Belarus] were gathered there. “We hardly slept at night because we were afraid of oversleeping,” two sisters from Navahrudak said.
For more information on the events of 8 November 2020, please visit Infocenter Free Belarus 2020:
