MINSK, August 12. /TASS/. The Investigative Committee of Belarus confirmed on Wednesday that Russian journalists Artyom Vazhenkov and Igor Rogov had been detained as suspects in the mass riots case, the BelTA news agency reported.

"Those citizens were detained in Minsk at 02:00 on August 11 <…> displaying external symptoms of alcohol intoxication. At present, they have the status of suspects in a criminal case launched by the Investigative Committee in Minsk under article 293 part 2 of the Criminal Code (participation in mass riots)," the agency quoted a statement by the Belarusian Investigative Committee as saying.

Russian Ambassador to Belarus Dmitry Mezentsev said on Tuesday that Artyom Vazhenkov and Igor Rogov would leave the building of the Minsk main police department once the necessary procedures are over.

On Sunday, Belarus held its sixth presidential election since declaring independence in 1991. Mass protests and clashes with police took place in Minsk and other Belarusian cities on Sunday night into Monday morning after exit poll results were made public.