Jailed Belarus Protester Dies During Crackdown

Belarus on Wednesday confirmed the death of a jailed protester as demonstrators took to the streets for a fourth night of clashes with riot police over a disputed presidential election.

Riot police have roughly detained thousands at street protests across the country after long-serving leader Alexander Lukashenko claimed a landslide victory in Sunday’s poll.

The strongman’s opponents accuse him of rigging the election against his main rival, massively popular opposition candidate Svetlana Tikhanovskaya.

The Belarusian Investigative Committee said in a statement that a 25-year-old man died after he was detained on Sunday for taking part in illegal protests in the southeastern city of Gomel and sentenced to 10 days in prison.

Investigators said the cause of death was unclear, while Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty quoted the man’s mother as saying he had heart problems and was held for hours in a police van.

She said her son, Alexander Vikhor, was not taking part in protests and had gone to meet his girlfriend.

Previously police said one protester died when an explosive device went off in his hand on Monday.

The latest death came as opposition protesters took to the streets to condemn police violence.

In the capital Minsk, several hundred women joined hands to form a human chain, many wearing white and holding flowers.

“The riot police are beating up people, brutally beating them, and all we can do is come out for such a peaceful protest,” said 29-year-old protester Darya, who works in advertising.