MINSK, Belarus - Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko its crackdown on opponents Tuesday, expanded how authorities charged 600 activists with an unconfirmed protest participation and threatened, political parties and organisations involved Sunday landslide resolve protest against his re-election.
Tuesday remained at least four candidates in prison as Mr Lukashenko attempts to eradicate each glow of dissent, taken after 20,000 people the streets Sunday said a vote Western observers to protest was deeply flawed.
Reuters A woman reacts after looking through the list of detained activists of opposition in a detention center in Minsk on Tuesday.Activists will be locked for up to 15 days, and the leaders of the protest face up to 15 years in prison for animating force if it condemns. Hundreds of riot police had violently dispersed the crowd and hundreds arrested after a small group of demonstrators attacked most important government buildings.
Grigory Kostusyev, a rival candidate from prison No fees, late Monday released, said security still known as KGB, had tried it under pressure into giving up his opposition to the Government. A KGB spokesman said he had no comment on Mr. of Kostusyev's accusation.
The continued crackdown leaves the EU with a dilemma on how Belarus to engage. The EU has worked with the former Soviet state of 9.5 million on its eastern border with Russia warmer relations.
Mr Lukashenko, traditionally a loyal ally who Russia during his 16-year reign in recent years started to flirt become hooked with the West, as key oil and gas subsidies from Moscow have declined and relationships.
The EU and the US Government criticized that succeed vote and subsequent but little scope given the failure of previous sanctions has change and the desire to avoid pushing Belarus further into the arms of Russia bring about.
Political analysts said the EU would continue to engage Mr Lukashenko and the less hardliners members of his Government, but, that he was likely continue to play the greatest political and economic support its eastern and Western neighbours off against each other looking after.
"It depends on how long he can hold all balls in the air," said Andrew Wilson, a senior policy fellow of the European Council on foreign relations. "But experience has shown to be him a pretty good juggler."
Mr. Wilson the level said the violence that busy would make more difficult commitment by the authorities and the measures showed seeking that the security services through more pragmatic forces in the Belarusian Government for closer relations with the EU had won at least a temporary day.
After brushing Western criticism and declare there was "no longer hare brained democracy" in his country, Mr Lukashenko the door open for discussions with some competitors such as Economist Jaroslav Romanchuk leave. Other opposition dismissed this as an attempt to create an opposition under his control.
The opposition is now in a tight spot - by the authorities intimidated and torn by disagreement on a plan of action and whether to Russia or Europe.
But Alexander Milinkevich, an opposition leader, that Mr Lukashenko challenged, in the presidential elections 2006 but not compete this time, did not say the crackdown a total victory for the authoritarian ruler.
"Turn the screws indefinitely keep can not," he said. "We need progressive liberalisation if we don't want a Romanian scenario", he added fall of Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceaucescu referring to the bloody 1989.
Write toJames Marson at j.r.marson@gmail.com
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