Minsk, September 7: Belarus police on Sunday detained 633 people for staging a protest against President Alexander Lukashenko in Minsk. A total of 363 people had also been sent to detention centres pending court hearings. The country has been witnessing mass demonstrations against Lukashenko since August 9 election. The opposition accused the Belarusian President of rigging the elections. Belarus Protests: Lukashenko Dissenters Put 'White-Red-White' Undergarments in Balconies After Police Confiscates Flags.

The government sent troops, used water cannon, armoured personnel carriers to curb the protest. The authorities managed to disperse the crowd by Sunday evening. Till now, thousands of people have been detained by Lukashenko's security forces. Belarus Crisis: Russia Hints at Intervention Amid Protests Over 'Rigged' Elections, Says 'Confident of Swift Resolution'.

Meanwhile, Opposition challenger Svetlana Tikhanovskaya claimed that she won the presidential election. She has currently taken shelter in neighbouring Lithuania. The protests in Belarus erupted after the August 9 poll results showed that Lukashenko had been re-elected with over 80 percent of the total votes.

The protesters say Lukashenko stole the election and want him to resign. Last month, thousands of people in Lithuania, including President Gitanas Nauseda formed a human chain from the capital Vilnius to the Belarusian border in solidarity with those protesting in Minsk. Recently, Russia also hinted to intervene in the domestic crisis of the eastern European nation.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 07, 2020 02:39 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).