Belarus IT workers take to Minsk streets to protest against disputed election

In Belarus, scores of IT workers took to the streets of capital Minsk on Friday, September 4 to join the ongoing mass protest against the disputed reelection of President Alexander Lukashenko.

According to the reports, the main opposition challenger in the vote Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya has called upon the United Nations for help in wake of growing protests. The protesting IT workers on Friday formed “chains of solidarity” in different parts of the city demanding Lukashenko's resignation who is accused of trying to extend his 26-year rule in Belarus with a rigged election.

A human chain was also formed outside the High Technology Park a day after the government authorities raided one of the companies and detained several workers which include the company's top manager accusing them of financial abuses. The park is reported to house 750 IT companies that employ 58,000 people and currently account for more than 6% of the nation's GDP. 

Earlier, dozens of top IT entrepreneurs in an open letter warned authorities that repression against dissent would trigger massive brain drain.

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Belarus opposition seeks UN help

Belarus has witnessed mass protests for nearly four weeks ago. The protestors are opposing the official election results which gave the Belarusian leader a sixth term with 80% of vote share. 

While addressing a meeting of the UNSC via video link, Belarus' main opposition challenger Tsikhanouskaya urged the global agency to “stop blatant human rights violations and cynical disregard for human dignity right in the middle of Europe.”

She accused Lukashenko of playing dirty politics and stealing the election and asked the UN to condemn the crackdown on protesters. The Belarusian leader also asked the UN to send a monitoring mission to Belarus and call a special session of its Human Rights Council to discuss the situation in the country. 

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Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya said, "I call on the international community to use all mechanisms to stop the violence, including sanctions on the individuals that committed electoral violations and crimes against humanity”. 

Tikhanovskaya fled the country for Lithuania on August 11, fearing that she and her family could be harmed. The 37-year-old leader has been issuing video statements from Lithuania, demanding Belarusian authorities to accept their wrongdoings and to join hands with the opposition in order to evade punishment in the future.

Protestors are demanding a free and fair election and an end of state-sponsored violence. People in large numbers have taken to streets to protest against the outcome of the recently concluded election, following which Lukashenko ordered a crackdown on demonstrators. One protestor reportedly died in the clashes between police and the protesters, while over 7,000 have been arrested so far. 

(With AP Inputs)

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