Belarusian police arrest 10 protesters in the capital, Minsk

The police of Minsk, capital of Belarus, announced Saturday that 10 anti-government activists have been arrested in the city by riot police.

The police said in a press release - reported by the Russian "TASS" news agency - that the detainees were being held in various police stations in Minsk pending investigations.

Belarus witnessed protests after the general elections held on August 9, which were won by the incumbent Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko with 80.1% of the votes, which were not recognized by the opposition, and the opposition declared the victory of the rival candidate, Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, as well as the formation of a coordination council for the transfer of power. It consists of 70 people.

Lukashenko replied that the republic's authorities have sufficient measures to calm "some hotheads", and the opposition in Belarus considers Tikhanovskaya, currently in Lithuania, the winner and is calling for new elections.