MOSCOW, September 8. /TASS/. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said that the heavy-handed response by Belarusian law enforcement during the string of mass protests were triggered by the heat of the moment, adding that in doing so, the police officers "protected the country," according to Rossiya-1 reporter Yevgeny Rozhkov, who participated in Lukashenko’s interview for Russian reporters.
"Regarding the beatings, we also asked what it was, including [the beatings] of journalists. He said that this was the heat of the moment, and the police shouldn’t be reproached, because they protected the country from a blitzkrieg and actually defended the country then. This is his sole opinion," Rozhkov said on TV Tuesday.
"There were excesses, and he will deal with all of them, he promised that to us, especially regarding the violence against journalists, including the Russian ones," the reporter added.
The presidential elections in Belarus took place on August 9. According to the Central Electoral Commission, incumbent president Alexander Lukashenko won with 80.10% of votes. Svetlana Tikhanovskaya came second, with 10.12% of votes. Immediately after the results were announced, mass protests sparked across Belarus, causing clashes with the law enforcement during the initial days. The Belarusian opposition’s Coordination council urges to continue protesting, while the authorities demand for the unauthorized rallies to stop. According to the Belarusian opposition’s Coordination council board member Pavel Latushko, over 10,000 people have been apprehended in Belarus since August 9.