Belarusian ambassador resigns after supporting protesters

Belarusian ambassor to Slovakia, who supported protesters rallying against his country's authoritarian president, said Tuesday he has handed in his resignation, a move indicating growing dissent at a high level of government.Igor Leshchenya said in an interview that it was “a logical move" after he recorded a video statement supporting unprecedented protests that have roiled Belarus for nine days in a row since Aug. 9 presidential election that gave a sixth term to longtime leer Alexander Lukashenko.

In statement released on Saturday, Leshchenya expressed “solidarity with those who came out on streets of Belarusian cities with peaceful marches so that ir voice could be heard," said he was shocked by reports of mass beatings and torture of protesters and accused Belarusian law enforcement of restoring tritions of Soviet secret police.

“As an ambassor, I'm appointed by president, and it is expected that I follow policies determined by him. Foreign Ministry (of Belarus) believes my civic stance has gone beyond that,” Leshchenya told independent Belarusian news outlet Tut.by on Tuesday. president is yet to sign Leshchenya's resignation.Leshchenya, 52, was first top government official to support protests against Lukashenko, who won 80% of votes, according to official election.

His top challenger, former English teacher Sviatlana Tsikhauskaya, got only 10% and deunced vote as rigged, demanding a recount as hundreds of thousands of people poured into streets all across Belarus in protest. rallies have continued despite a brutal response from police, who in first four days of demonstrations detained almost 7,000 people and injured hundreds with rubber bullets, stun grenes and clubs. At least two protesters died.

Tsikhauskaya left country for Lithuania in a move her campaign said was me under duress. On Monday she anunced she was rey to act as a national leer to facilitate a new election.Lukashenko, who has run ex-Soviet nation of 9.5 million with an iron fist since 1994, bristled at idea and refused to cede his post despite protests growing and attracting more and more people who used to be at core of his electorate.

On Monday, several major state-controlled plants and factories anunced strikes, with thousands of workers taking to streets and demanding Lukashenko's resignation. embattled president said Monday country could have a new presidential election, but only after approving an amended version of its constitution in a nationwide referendum — an apparent bid to buy some time amid growing political crisis.

Western officials said elections were neir free, r fair and criticized Belarusian authorities for ir violent crackdown on protesters. In Brussels, European Council President Charles Michel said an emergency summit of EU leers would convene Wednesday to discuss election and crackdown.Last week, 27 EU foreign ministers decided to start drawing up a list of people who could face sanctions from violence.British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said in a statement Monday that U.K. does t accept results of “this fraudulent presidential election.” foreign ministers of Ireland and Cana echoed his sentiment.

(Im Credit: AP)