Over 50,000 march in Belarus against authoritarian leader

Tens of thousands of people marched through streets of Belarus' capital on Sunday, demanding ouster of country's authoritarian leer who won his sixth term in office in an election widely seen as rigged.

More than 50,000 people took part in rally in Minsk, according to Viasna human rights center. Demonstrators carried banners mocking President Alexander Lukashenko, who has run country for 26 years, and chanted “Go away!”

Mass protests have rocked Belarus since Aug. 9 presidential election that handed Lukashenko a victory with 80% of vote. His main challenger, Sviatlana Tsikhauskaya, got 10%. She and her supporters refused to recognize results, saying outcome of vote was manipulated.

Authorities tried to quell unrest with mass detentions and police dispersing crowds with truncheons, stun grenes and water canns. On Monday, country's Interior Ministry threatened to use firearms against protesters “if need be,” saying that rallies “have become organized and extremely rical.” However, protests have continued despite crackdown.

“This is first march since authorities threatened to use firearms. But even that didn't stop protest, which transforms into different forms, but doesn't die down,” Viasna leer Ales Bialiatski said.

Tsikhauskaya, who is currently in exile in Lithuania after leaving country in fear for her safety, threatened on Tuesday to call a nationwide strike unless Lukashenko anunces his resignation, releases political prisoners and stops crackdown on protesters.

“If our demands aren’t fulfilled by Oct. 25, entire country will peacefully take to streets,” Tsikhauskaya said in a statement. “On Oct. 26, a national strike of all enterprises will begin, all ros will be blocked, sales in state-owned stores will collapse."

Protestors on Sunday marched down one of Minsk's main avenues, where plants and factories are located, and chanted “Strike!” and “ workers are with people.”

city center was blocked off by water canns and armored vehicles, and dozens of military trucks were seen driving around streets. Several subway stations were closed, and mobile internet wasn't working in area of march.

“Lukashenko understands that if re hn't been all se artificial obstacles, entire Minsk would have come out (to rally),” said Valery Karbalevich, an independent political analyst in Minsk.

“Despite threats of using firearms and intimidation by KGB (Belarus' State Security Committee), people take to streets — protests are t winding down, and it shows that political crisis in Belarus is in full swing," Karbalevich said.

In a statement Sunday, Tsikhauskaya encourd Belarusians to continue peaceful protests.

“Let's continue to express our demands peacefully and persistently — it is yielding results," she said, ding that authorities have released Ilya Salei, lawyer of Tsikhauskaya's top associate, Maria Kolesnikova, from detention.

Kolesnikova was jailed last month on charges of undermining state security that could bring a five-year prison term if she's convicted. Salei was detained in September as well in relation to same charge.

Aside from Minsk, protests on Sunday took place in several big cities, including Brest, Grod, Gomel and Vitebsk. Scores of demonstrators have been detained across country: list of detained protesters released by Viasna center on Sunday evening h over 150 names on it.