Your trusted source

Belarusian security police searched offices and homes of lawyers and human rights activists on Wednesday in a new crackdown on opponents of President Alexander Lukashenko, several rights groups and media said, Euronews reported. 

According to the source, authorities have moved to shut down critical and non-state media outlets and human right bodies in the wake of mass protests last August after a presidential election the opposition said was rigged.

Police searched offices of at least 14 human rights groups, media, NGOs and charity groups, including the human rights organisation, Viasna-96, and the country’s oldest political party, Belarusian People Front, the groups said. Viasna-96 said it was unable to contact its leader, Ales Byalyatski.

The independent Imena media and charity group, which does not consider itself an opposition outlet, also said that police had searched its offices. Nasha Niva newspaper reported that police were trying to search the offices of another rights group, Belarusian Helsinki Committee.

Authorities in Belarus said last week they had blocked Nasha Niva’s website. They later said they had detained the editor and three journalists.