MINSK, August 14. /TASS/. One of the leaders of the Belarusian opposition, politician Valery Tsepkalo, presidential candidate denied registration by the Central Election Committee, on Friday urged to continue protest rallies in the republic. On the Telegram channel of the National Salvation Front that he founded, he proposed to join "peaceful and mass protest rallies during the day, to avoid provocations."

His demands include the release of "all political and economic prisoners," recognition of Svetlana Tikhanovskaya as the "lawfully elected and legitimate president." He also urges to "designate interim government and conduct new presidential elections."

The presidential election was held in Belarus on August 9. According to the preliminary data of the Central Election Committee, incumbent president of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko got 80.08% of the vote. Svetlana Tikhanovskaya who was considered his main opponent, was second with 10.09%. After exit poll results were announced in the evening of August 9, mass protests erupted in downtown Minsk and other regions of the country, leading to clashes between protesters and law enforcement forces. As a result, according to the republic’s Interior Ministry, over 6,000 people were detained, dozens of policemen and protesters were injured.