Belarusian Nobel laureate rallies protesters as over 50 arrested

Belarusian Nobel literature laureate and prominent democracy activist Svetlana Alexievich on Wednesday told anti-government protesters not to give in as she faced a committee over her remarks against long-time President Alexander Lukashenko.

"God forbid that there's bloodshed," said the 72-year-old, referring to both police violence against protesters and mounting tensions between pro- and anti-Lukashenko groups.

The latest demonstrations saw 50 arrests, the highest number on any day this week, as the number of people joining the unauthorized protests continued to rise.

A disputed presidential election this month granted Lukashenko, who has been in power for over a quarter century, another term in office.

The European Union has refused to recognize the results, saying the elections were "neither free nor fair."

Lukashenko has promised to crack down on opponents as daily demonstrations swelled into mass rallies over the weekend in Minsk. The latest round of protests included the cities of Grodno and Gomel.

Alexievich said that change could only take place through dialogue and accused Lukashenko of trying to destroy the Coordinating Council, a body established by the opposition that has sought talks with him.

Alexievich, who is herself a member of the council, said she refused to testify in front of the committee. She remains a witness in proceedings against the council.

"Human rights violations"

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas on Wednesday slammed Minsk for cracking down on the council.

"Severe human rights violations and violations of basic democratic principles will not go unanswered," said Germany's top diplomat, whose country currently holds the EU's rotating presidency.

He said it was "absolutely unacceptable" that members of the Coordinating Council had been "imprisoned, interrogated and intimidated."

"The Coordinating Council has repeatedly made its goal clear, to work on a peaceful solution to the ongoing crisis on the basis of the current constitution and in taking into account the close relations between Belarus and Russia, including close relations between civil society," Maas added.

EU foreign ministers are to discuss a response to the situation during a conference in Berlin set for Thursday and Friday, Maas said.

The Lithuanian government said that it planned to expand its sanctions against its neighbour in the wake of the election and subsequent crackdown.

People subjected to sanctions

The BNS news agency cited a Foreign Ministry spokesperson as saying that its list of people subjected to sanctions would be expanded from 32 to 118. Those on the list cannot enter into any EU country.

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda deplored the "deteriorating" situation in regard to the crackdown on protesters.

"It appears that the more afraid the regime is, the more inappropriately it reacts to the situation, and the more brutally it treats its own people," he said.

"When you see the photos, when you see the statistics - and when you don't see certain statistics or cases because they've remained in the dark and the fate of these people is unclear - do you need any more evidence that violence is being used?" he asked rhetorically.

Poland has taken in several dozen demonstrators from Belarus for medical treatment, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said Wednesday, adding that he had instructed his health minister to prepare Polish hospitals to admit further patients.

"There are a number of people who have been brutally beaten and mistreated by Lukashenko's police and OMON [special forces] troops. Poland's hospitals are open to all of them," Morawiecki said.

The Latvian government said it will make 150,000 euros (177,000 dollars) available to support civil society and independent media in the former Soviet republic. According to a report, some of the funds will help those jailed for their political convictions.