MINSK, Belarus — A Belarusian human rights group says police detained dozens of demonstrators in the capital and the city of Borisov on Wednesday as protests against the exclusion of two opposition candidates from the presidential ballot roiled the country. The two candidates were seen as the strongest challengers to authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko, who is seeking a sixth term. Police closed off the center of Minsk, and the human rights group Vesna said at least 20 people were arrested. Another 15 demonstrators were detained in the city of Borisov, the group said. Thousands of people also took to the streets of Minsk and other cities in protest on Tuesday, and police said 250 were detained.

Source: International New York Times July 15, 2020 16:31 UTC