MOSCOW (Reuters) – Belarus police detained dozens of individuals in Minsk on Sunday through the newest in months of anti-government protests since a disputed presidential election in August, human rights activists reported.

1000’s of individuals took to the streets of Belarusian capital and police used stun grenades to disperse the group, a number of Belarus media retailers reported.

The Vesna-96 rights group stated 70 folks had been detained thus far.

Opponents have staged common protests since August, accusing President Alexander Lukashenko of rigging the election to increase his 26-year grip on energy. He denies electoral fraud and has refused to resign.

Protest organisers this week requested folks to assemble in dozens of various spots all throughout Minsk earlier than forming greater teams, to make it tougher for police to regulate the group.

The road rallies had been re-ignited following the demise of a 31-year previous anti-government protester Roman Bondarenko, who died in hospital earlier this month following what demonstrators stated was a extreme beating by safety forces.

The inside ministry denied duty for Bondarenko’s demise, saying he was killed in a scuffle with civilians.

(Reporting by Maxim Rodionov; Modifying by Frances Kerry)