Protests against President Alexander Lukashenko continued in Belarus on Friday morning, after the release of many people who were detained during previous demonstrations.
Hundreds of doctors and groups of women formed human chains in the capital Minsk to protest against the re-election of the long-time authoritarian leader Lukashenko.
The pressure on Lukashenko has been further increased by workers striking in state-owned firms.
About 1,000 of the 7,000 people arrested during protests were reportedly freed on Friday morning.
Many of those released said they were severely mistreated.
They recounted the lack of food and space in prison cells and showed wounds and bruises, according to local media and videos and photos circulating early on Friday.
Several people had to be taken to hospital immediately after being released, local media reported.
Minister of the Interior Yury Karayev apologized to citizens on state television for the arrest of many innocent people.
A spokesperson for the presidential office said Lukashenko would address the situation in a speech later on Friday.
Lukashenko, 65, has led a violent police crackdown in the last five days against protesters calling for his resignation, as they believe the election was rigged.
The president has ruled the former Soviet republic for a quarter century, tolerating little dissent.
Sanctions
The 27 EU foreign ministers will deliberate on possible sanctions against Belaru in a virtual meeting on Friday afternoon.
Foreign relations chief Josep Borrell called the extraordinary meeting - interrupting his holiday - in response to recent developments.
Protests broke out this week in Belarus after incumbent President Alexander Lukashenko won Sunday's elections with an overwhelming majority, according to official results. Thousands of protesters have since been arrested.
The 27 EU countries condemned the elections as "neither free nor fair" in a joint statement, and doubts have been voiced regarding the accuracy of the official count.
Most recently, Germany's Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said the possibility of additional sanctions on Belarus would be discussed intensely. Lithuania, Latvia and Sweden had previously expressed their support for punitive measures to be taken against the former Soviet state.
Just last February, the EU had extended sanctions on Belarus, extending an arms embargo and asset freezes, as well as travel bans against several Belarusian officials.
But even if sanctions are agreed on a political level on Friday, they would still have to be formally passed in a written procedure to come into effect.
