Opposition leader detained in Belarus ahead of planned protest

[News_Editor]

Opposition leader detained in Belarus ahead of planned protest

2011-07-03 08:43:17 GMT+7 (ICT)

MINSK (BNO NEWS) -- Belarusian opposition leader Stanislav Shushkevich said on Saturday he was detained on the Lithuanian-Belarusian border by Belarusian border guards, RIA Novosti reported.

"I was returning from Vilnius and was detained along with 12 students of the European Humanities University on the Belarusian territory after customs clearance," Shushkevich said.

Shushkevich, who heads the opposition Social Democratic Party, said passports were taken from them. The Belarusian border service, however, has been unavailable for comment.

The detention comes ahead of a planned rally on Sunday, when Belarus celebrates its Independence Day, against President Alexander Lukashenko's economic policies. Two groups, the Revolution through Social Networks and Strategy for the Future, have been organizing protests in the past weeks. During the last protest, over 100 people were detained in the capital.

Lukashenko warned earlier that no strikes or unauthorized protests will be allowed over the recent economic measures.

On June 13, Belarus and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) began discussions for agreeing in a new program in order to achieve financial stability in the country. Belarus is seeking an IMF loan that could be granted depending on the balance of payments and other factors.

Belarus' financial crisis worsened last May when the National Bank of Belarus set the official exchange rate of the Belarusian Ruble against the U.S. dollar at Br 4,930 per $1, a devaluation of over 50 percent.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2011-07-03