Protesters and riot police clashed in Belarus’s capital Minsk and other cities, after a state TV exit poll said long-time leader Alexander Lukashenko was re-elected in Sunday’s election, the BBC reports.
Police used stun grenades, rubber bullets and water cannon. A human rights group said one protester was killed and about 120 arrested.
According to the country’s election committee, early results of the election show that incumbent president Alexander Lukashenko has received 80.23 percent of votes, while his main contender, opposition candidate Svetlana Tikhanovskaya has won 9.9%.
Tikhanovskaya refuses to recognize the results.
“We have already won, because we have overcome our fear, our apathy and our indifference,” Svetlana Tikhanovskaya said.
The preliminary results give her 9.9% of the vote, but her campaign said she had been polling 70-80% in some areas.
Ms Tikhanovskaya entered the election in place of her jailed husband and went on to lead large opposition rallies.
Mr Lukashenko, 65, has been in power since 1994.
