Mass protest keeps pressure on Belarus President

Tens of thousands of people on Sunday have again taken to the streets in Belarus, facing off against riot police to protest against President Alexander Lukashenko, reported British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC).

A huge police presence cordoned off areas such as Independence Square in the capital, Minsk, and the interior ministry reported at least 140 arrests, said the BBC report.

Protesters chanted "disgrace" and "leave" in standoffs with police.

Belarus has been gripped by mass protests since the 9 August election, widely believed to have been rigged, the report added.

Meanwhile, Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto on Saturday met with the Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Heorhiyeuna Tsikhanouskaya (Svjatlana Tsih’anouskaja) in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius and discussed the situation following the 9 August controversial presidential election in Belarus.

Earlier, on 25 August, Finnish President Sauli Niinistö expressed concern at the situation in Belarus following the controversial presidential election, which failed to meet international criteria and urged for a peaceful solution of the crisis through dialogue.

Click BBC to read the detail original report.