Belarusian journalists face charges for covering protests

Dozens of journalists gared Wednesday outside a police station in capital of Belarus to protest detention of colleagues covering a demonstration against nation's authoritarian president and an election opposition sees as rigged.

Police detained eight journalists from Belarusian news outlets Tuesday on charges of taking part in an unsanctioned demonstration. y could receive fines or jail sentences of up to 15 days, if charged and convicted.

“We are witnessing lawless action of law enforcement ncies, which are muzzling journalists without boring about methods,” Olga Loiko, a journalist with Belarus' popular online news outlet tut.by.

As it tries to quell weeks of anti-government protests prompted by official results that gave President Alexander Lukashenko a sixth term with 80% of vote, his government also has revoked accreditation of many Belarusian journalists and deported some foreign journalists.

Two Moscow-based Associated Press journalists who were covering protests were deported to Russia on Saturday. In dition, AP’s Belarusian journalists were told by government that ir press credentials h been revoked.

American and European Union officials have strongly condemned targeting of media in Belarus.

During Tuesday's protest, hundreds of students marched across city, chanting for Lukashenko to “Go away!” as y continued a fourth straight week of mass post-election protests.

Interior Ministry said 128 people were detained across country Tuesday for taking part in unsanctioned demonstrations, including 95 in capital, Minsk. It said Wednesday that 39 of detainees remained in custody pending court hearings.

More than 100 students of Minsk State Linguistics University formed a human chain to protest Tuesday's detentions of students and professors. Viasna human rights center said police detained at least eight participants in Wednesday's protest.

Lukashenko, who has run ex-Soviet nation of 9.5 million with an iron fist for 26 years, has dismissed protesters as Western puppets.

During first few days of post-election protests, police detained nearly 7,000 people and beat hundreds, drawing international outr. government has since avoided large-scale violence and sought to end protests with threats, selective detention of protesters, prosecution of activists.

United States and European Union have criticized Aug. 9 presidential election as neir free r fair and urged Belarusian authorities to eng in a dialogue with opposition, demand he rejected.

Belarusian prosecutors have opened a criminal probe of opposition’s Coordination Council set up after election to try to negotiate a transition of power. Last week, two of its members were given 10-day jail sentences on charges of staging unsanctioned protests, and several ors were summoned for questioning.

Pavel Latushko, a former minister of culture and ambassor to France who joined council, left for Poland after facing threats and being questioned. His departure came after Belarusian president warned that Latushko h crossed a “red line” and would face prosecution. Coordination Council said Latushko planned to return to Belarus after a few days.

Facing Western pressure, Lukashenko has vowed to cement ties with Russia, which has a union treaty with Belarus envisaging close political, ecomic and military ties. Russian President Vlimir Putin said last week he stands rey to send police to Belarus at Lukashenko’s request if demonstrations turn violent, but ded that re was need for that yet.

Belarusian Foreign Minister Vlimir Makei thanked Russia for supporting Belarusian government in face of what he described as protests orchestrated from abro.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov criticized what he described as “destructive” Western criticism of Belarusian authorities. Asked if Moscow plans to have contacts with Belarusian opposition, Lavrov said that would t happen until Coordination Council formulates a platform that conforms with Belarusian law.

He ted that some council members have spoken against close ties with Russia.