Lukashenko supporters rally in Belarusian town

Protesters held a rally in the town of Shklow in Belarus on Wednesday in support of president Alexander Lukashenko.

Lukashenko last week won his sixth term in office with 80% of votes in an election which has been criticised as rigged.

One protester said up to 100 people had been attending these protests each day in support of the president, as thousands of others called for the resignation of Lukashenko in protests in Minsk.

About 7,000 people were arrested over several days of protests against the Belarusian president, which police harshly tried to put down with clubs, rubber bullets and flash grenades.

Many detainees were later released, complaining of brutality from police while in custody and showing extensive bruises.