BelSAT

A number of major enterprises in Belarus saw its workers go on strike today, August 13, later joined by medics and even museum staff across Belarus.

Their main demand is to have a fair presidential election, Belsat reports.

Protest rallies have been boiling across the country since Sunday night – after the Central Election Commission released exit poll results that claimed re-election of incumbent long-time president Alexander Lukashenko.

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Many Belarusians took to the streets in protest against what they believe is a rigged voting outcome.

The strike began with BelAZ, a world-acclaimed manufacturer of haulage and earthmoving equipment. Its employees demanded that true election results be announced.

Read alsoLukashenko labels protesters "people with a criminal record", "unemployed"

"People in the streets of the city say the fact that BelAZ 'woke up' is a win. Most men in the city work for the company. Now everyone supports each other. Drivers are beeping car horns. There is information that employees of local utility services came out to support Belaz workers. People all over the city were seen clapping and shouting 'Long live Belarus!', a Zhodino resident told Belsat.

At another major enterprise, the Minsk Automobile Plant, workers also came out to convey their discontent.

Keramin, a major ceramic manufacturer, has joined the action in support.

Telegram-channel "Maya Kraina Belarus" reports that employees of the Minsk-based Integral plant also joined the strike.

So did workers at Grodno's largest enterprise, Grodno-Azot, according to TUT.by.

Local developer GrodnoZhilStroy even had its chief join workers in their protest move.

Another Grodno enterprise, Belcard, has suspended operations.

Medics also share indignation, the report reads.

Doctors of the Republican Center for Cardiology are set to suspend all scheduled surgeries in protest against violence and arrests of their colleagues.

The city of Soligorsk also saw medics rally.

Read alsoPompeo says people in Belarus should have "freedoms they're demanding"

At the Minsk Ambulance Hospital, the medical staff have also decided to speak out against goevrnment violence.

Belarus protests: developments

  • On August 9, presidential elections were held in Belarus.
  • The country's Central Election Commission announced preliminary election results. In particular, 80.23% of voters supported incumbent President Alexander Lukashenko, 9.9% voted for Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, 1.68% for Anna Kanopatskaya, 1.13% for Sergei Cherechnya, and 1.04% for Andrey Dmitriev. Some 6.02% voted against all candidates. 
  • On the evening of August 9, thousands of Belarusians took to the streets to take part in spontaneous rallies, which was followed by clashes with law enforcement. The police in Minsk used water cannons, tear gas, stun grenades, and fired rubber bullets in a crackdown on protests.
  • Belarus' Ministry of Internal Affairs announced about 3,000 protesters were detained on the night of August 10, more than 2,000 people on the night of August 11, and more than 1,000 on the third night of the protests in different towns and cities across the country.
  • Pro-Kremlin thugs acting as provocateurs were spotted in Belarus streets protests, presidential candidate Anna Konopatskaya said.