It& #39;s election day in #Belarus and long lines are present outside voting boots throughout the country.
Internet has been disrupted all the day, there is a fear of voter fraud in the air
Internet has been disrupted all the day, there is a fear of voter fraud in the air
#Belarus: countless young Belarusians standing in line for hours waiting to vote.
Such a big difference with previous elections when voting boots were largely empty throughout the day
Such a big difference with previous elections when voting boots were largely empty throughout the day
#Belarus: Sviatlana #Tsikhanouskaya has cast her vote.
Within a matter of weeks she went from being a English teacher and mother of two, to being #Lukashenko& #39;s biggest challenger
Within a matter of weeks she went from being a English teacher and mother of two, to being #Lukashenko& #39;s biggest challenger
#Belarus: long, long lines at polling stations across the country.
Even if the elections are already planned to be rigged, people refuse to give up their vote
Even if the elections are already planned to be rigged, people refuse to give up their vote
#Belarus: this is just one line outside of a polling station in #Minsk.
It stretches as far as the eye can see!
It stretches as far as the eye can see!
#Belarus: according to media source NEXTA #Lukashenko& #39;s private jet is on stand-by at the airport, fully refueled with the crew ready to go if necessary.
Someone& #39;s keeping open the option of a quick exit in case the elections go a different way?
Someone& #39;s keeping open the option of a quick exit in case the elections go a different way?
#Belarus: it& #39;s 20:00 in #Minsk and polling stations are officially closed all over the country.
According to people on the ground Minsk is suddenly swarming with security forces. Results are unlikely to already be announced tonight.
According to people on the ground Minsk is suddenly swarming with security forces. Results are unlikely to already be announced tonight.
#Belarus: according to the official preliminary exit poll #Lukashenko has won 79,9% of the votes. #Tsikhanouskaya does not even get second place, being awarded only 6,8%
Nobody is buying these "results". Expect anger in the streets
Nobody is buying these "results". Expect anger in the streets
#Belarus: Belarusian diaspora in #Moscow chanting "go away" outside of their country& #39;s embassy, just minutes after #Lukashenko was proclaimed the winner according to the official exit poll
#Belarus: anti- #Lukashenko protest tonight in the city of #Mogilev. With a lot of security forces in the capital #Minsk, police in other cities are rumoured to be understaffed tonight, giving room for protesters to gather
#Belarus: police are trying to crack down on the protest in #Mogilev, but there are too many protesters to arrest, most just run away
#Belarus: as night falls police are out on the streets arresting anyone who chants against the dictatorship of #Lukashenko
#Belarus: unbelievable footage from #Minsk tonight. Protesters are fighting back against the police.
Belarusians have had enough of the #Lukashenko dictatorship
Belarusians have had enough of the #Lukashenko dictatorship
#Belarus: hundreds of protesters marching through the streets of the western city of #Brest tonight, chanting "long live Belarus!"
#Belarus: this is #Minsk tonight.
People are fed up with the regime, they are willing to literally fight for their freedom
People are fed up with the regime, they are willing to literally fight for their freedom
#Belarus: hundreds of riot police in downtown #Minsk tonight. A single protester is dragged to the curb by his hands
#Belarus: this is how riot police respond to Belarusians, calling for their votes to be respected, by smashing their faces.
#Belarus: the streets of #Minso are a battlefield tonight between those wishing to preserve a regime and those wanting to change it
#Belarus: police forces are running around #Minsk desperately waving the guns in an attempt to disperse the protests
#Belarus just got its very own "tank man"
#Belarus: the riot police is using every trick in the book to clear the streets, banging on shields, using the water cannon, beating people
#Belarus: bloodied protesters being treated by medics in #Minsk tonight.
It& #39;s clear the regime of #Lukashenko is not interested in any kind of peaceful resolve
It& #39;s clear the regime of #Lukashenko is not interested in any kind of peaceful resolve
#Belarus: the streets of #Minsk tonight.
Is this a normal sight when a president supposedly wins 80% of the votes?
Is this a normal sight when a president supposedly wins 80% of the votes?
#Belarus: the sounds of anger and sirens fill the streets of #Minsk tonight.
The people vs the regime
The people vs the regime
#Belarus: a Belarusian independence flag (symbol of the country& #39;s pro-democracy movement) stained with the blood of a protester, wounded by the police in #Minsk tonight
#Belarus: the presidents of #Poland and #Lithuania have come forward with a joined statement, calling on the Belarusian regime to respect the democratic process, and refrain from using violence
#Belarus: protesters fighting off the police in #Minsk tonight.
There can be no dictatorship without fear
There can be no dictatorship without fear
#Belarus: this protester was seriously injured by riot police in #Minsk. Some reports say he passed anyway but nothing is certain as of yet
#Belarus: protesters marching from the suburbs to the center of #Minsk.
Metro lines are suspended across the city tonight as the opposition has again called for mass protests
Metro lines are suspended across the city tonight as the opposition has again called for mass protests
#Belarus: protesters marching fom the southeastern suburbs of #Minsk towards the city center tonight
#Belarus: thousands of protesters are gathering in #Minsk for the second night. Cars are honking in support
#Belarus: Spetsnaz forces are on the streets in downtown #Minsk. Some reports of bullet fire are already coming in.
Does #Lukashenko really think he can shoot these protests apart?
Does #Lukashenko really think he can shoot these protests apart?
#Belarus: protesters in the town of Barysaw (NE of #Minsk) on their knees in front of riot police, demonstrating they& #39;re peaceful
#Belarus: dozens of riot police in Babruysk sweeping a nearly empty town square.
The paranoia is clearly high
The paranoia is clearly high
#Belarus: night falls in #Minsk. Now we will see the large numbers of people daring to go out into the streets
#Belarus: the sight of a police state in #Minsk.
Dozens of men are forced to stand with their hands on the wall as they& #39;re being searched by police
Dozens of men are forced to stand with their hands on the wall as they& #39;re being searched by police
#Belarus: riot police chasing protesters in the southern town of Mozyr
#Belarus: chaos at the metro station in Pushkinskaya (W #Minsk), as the police is launching a violent attack on a large gathering of protesters
#Belarus: a #Minsk bus driver was seriously injured when a police stun grenade exploded right next to him
#Tsikhanouskaya& #39;s presidential campaign was a major empowerment for Belarusian women.
Now women are out on the streets of #Belarus, fighting for freedom
Now women are out on the streets of #Belarus, fighting for freedom
#Belarus: protesters are shooting fireworks at the police in #Minsk.
A few weeks ago this was unthinkable in Europe& #39;s last dictatorship
A few weeks ago this was unthinkable in Europe& #39;s last dictatorship
#Belarus: video shows two riot policemen savagely beating a single protester who already had his hands up in the air
#Belarus: earlier in the evening a policeman refused to follow orders, took off his armor and just went home.
Protesters clap as he walks away
Protesters clap as he walks away
#Belarus: protesters in #Brest hitting and kicking a police car, forcing it to speed away.
Fear is gone
Fear is gone
#Belarus: over 5000 arrests have been made these past days, more than local police stations can take in. Because there is no more room inside detainees are forced to lay on their stomachs outside on the courtyard
#Belarus: factory workers are striking in #Minsk today, out of protest of the elections which were stolen by #Lukashenko