Belarus: Heavy security for anti-Lukashenko rally in Minsk

Riot police have been deployed in the Belarusian capital ahead of the latest demonstration against the re-election of President Alexander Lukashenko.

They have cordoned off Minsk’s Independence Square, as columns of people join a march towards it.

Several have already been arrested.

Belarus has been gripped by mass protests, since the 9 August election widely believed to have been rigged in favour of the long-time leader, who has been in power for 26 years.

On Saturday, the authorities withdrew the accreditation of 17 journalists, most of them Belarusian citizens, who have been reporting on post-election protests there for foreign media outlets.