Belarus police use tear gas, detain protesters

Several thousands protesters gathered in Minsk on Sunday to rally against the inauguration of Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko.

Columns of protesters marched through central streets, chanting in support of opposition candidate Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya.

Around 200 protesters were detained on Sunday across the country, press secretary of Belarus Interior Ministry told Russian State agencies.

In Gomel, a city in southeastern Belarus, riot police used tear gas to disperse protesters.

Anti-Lukashenko protests have rocked the country for almost seven weeks, with the largest rallies in Minsk attracting up to 200,000 people.

During the first days after the election, police used tear gas, truncheons and rubber bullets to disperse crowds.

Several protesters died, many were injured and nearly 7,000 were detained.

The response to street demonstrators intensified again this week, with police detaining hundreds and injuring many.