Belarus unit of Gazprombank raided as Lukashenko cracks down on election opponents

Record ID: 1556957

  • Title: Belarus unit of Gazprombank raided as Lukashenko cracks down on election opponents
  • Date: 11th June 2020
  • Summary: GUAYAQUIL, ECUADOR (JUNE 09, 2020) (REUTERS) VARIOUS, LOCAL RESIDENT SWEEPING ASH FROM SIDEWALK VARIOUS, VEHICLES COVERED IN ASH PERSON WIPING ASH FROM WINDSHIELD LOCAL RESIDENT, ARMANDO MENDOZA, CLEANING HIS CAR WITH HOSE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) LOCAL RESIDENT, ARMANDO MENDOZA, SAYING: "This is the second time, but this time it came on stronger because all the pavement and
  • Embargoed: 25th June 2020 18:23
  • Keywords: Belarus Minsk President Svetlana Tikhanounski Viktor Babariko elections raid
  • Location: MINSK, BELARUS
  • City: MINSK, BELARUS
  • Country: Belarus
  • Topics: Government/Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA003CHXFLMH
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Security officials in Belarus on Thursday (June 11) raided the local unit of Russia's Gazprombank, which until recently had been headed by one of President Alexander Lukashenko's main rivals in a presidential election due in August.
    A spokesman for the State Control Committee said the raid was connected to an investigation into tax evasion. Officials at Belgazprombank were not immediately available for comment.
    Presidential challenger Viktor Babariko told reporters that the purpose of the searches was to put pressure on him.
    Lukashenko has ruled the ex-Soviet country with an iron fist since 1994 but has faced protests in recent weeks as unhappiness with his presidency was exacerbated by public anger over his decision not to impose a lockdown to halt the novel coronavirus pandemic.
    Babariko resigned as head of Belgazprombank to launch his bid for the presidency. He vowed to continue his political fight on Thursday.
    The authorities also detained blogger Sergei Tikhanouski who helped lead protests against Lukashenko and whose wife Svetlana planned to run against the president. Charged with disrupting public order, Tikhanouski faces three years in prison. Svetlana Tikhanouski on Thursday urged activists in Minsk and other big cities to stop collecting signatures for her support for the next three days.
    Lukashenko has accused the opposition of trying to destabilize Belarus, which he said could lead to a "massacre on a square."
    Thousands of people across the former Soviet republic of 9.5 million have been lining up at election meetings to show support for people seeking to run against Lukashenko.
    Public frustration with his handling of the coronavirus pandemic and grievances about the economy and human rights have reinvigorated opposition to his rule. Lukashenko has dismissed fears about the virus as a "psychosis." He rejected calls for a lockdown or social distancing measures, and instead suggested remedies such as drinking vodka or visiting saunas.
    Belarus reported 51,816 coronavirus cases as of June 11, including 293 deaths.
    (Production: Vasily Fedosenko, Vladimir Kostin, Tatiana Gomozova)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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