Moscow, Oct. 9, (dpa/GNA) – Belarus’ galvanized political opposition called on Friday for women throughout the world to march this weekend against disputed President Alexander Lukashenko.
“Women in different parts of the world are marching en masse in support of courageous Belarusians,” the team of exiled opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya said in a statement.
The main march will be in Belarus’ capital, Minsk, on Saturday, with women encouraged to distribute flowers in a show of solidarity against political repression, the statement said.
There have been mass protests in Belarus every weekend since the disputed presidential election on August 9, from which Lukashenko claimed his sixth consecutive term.
Lukashenko, 66, has led Belarus, a former Soviet republic between Russia and EU member state Poland, for more than a quarter of a century, tolerating little dissent.
Opposition supporters allege that last month’s election was rigged and that Tikhanovskaya, 38, was the actual winner.
The European Union has described the election as “neither free nor fair” and refused to recognize Lukashenko as president.
GNA