Belarus police officers' personal information leaked as mass protests enter 7th week

An anonymous group of hackers is reported to have released the personal information of 1,000 Belarusian police officers in an act of retaliation against the force's heavy-handed tactics and mass arrests. According to The Guardian reports published on Sunday, September 20, a statement declaring the leak was posted on the messaging app Telegram, wherein the group claimed that as the police continue arresting peaceful protesters, it would continue leaking the personal information of the officers.

Read: March Of 100,000 Marks Week 7 Of Belarus Protests

Hackers threaten to keep releasing information

Telegram is a secretive messaging app that has become widely popular in Belarus and is used to organise protests against the country’s authoritarian president Alexander Lukashenko. In response to the leak of personal information, the Belarus authorities have stated that they will uncover the culprits behind the leak and bring them to justice.

Thousands of people took to the streets on September 20 to dispute the presence of police. The Sunday protests come just a day after hundreds of protesters were detained during a women’s march in Minsk, with the unrest entering its 7th week. 

Read: AP PHOTOS: Elderly Protesters Defy Belarus’ Strongman

Over 200 Women Protestors Detained

Earlier, more than 200 participants were arrested in Minsk, including an elderly woman who has become a symbol of the Belarus protest, on Saturday. As per the Human rights group Viasna, there were so many people detained at the march that there were lines leading up to the prisoner transports. Lukashenko‘s main opponent, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya who is currently in Lithuania after being forced to flee the country, shared a video message wherein she applauded the bravery of all those who attended the women’s march.

Mass protests erupted in Belarus last month after President Alexander Lukashenko, who has already served 26 years in office, was declared to have won the August election. Belarus opposition leaders have since then claimed that the elections were rigged and have demanded Lukashenko’s resignation. 

Read: Belarus Official Repeatedly Interrupts UN Meeting On Human Rights Abuse Against Protestors

Read: Belarus: Over 200 Women Protestors Detained In Minsk As Unrest Continues