The Belarusian Supreme Court on Tuesday rejected an appeal lodged by opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya to annul the results of the disputed August 9 presidential election, Russian media reported.
Lukashenko, who has led the country since 1994, declared a landslide win at the vote, which was denounced by EU officials. The opposition says that Tikhanovskaya was the rightful winner and wants new elections.
An opposition Coordination Council was created last week by Lukashenko’s critics. The council aims to develop a strategy for a transition of power, but authorities in Belarus have opened a criminal probe into its formation.
On Monday, Belarus police detained several leading opposition activists as well as a handful of protesters taking part in a wave of demonstrations challenging official results of the election, which gave Lukashenko a sixth term with an unlikely 80% of the vote. The arrested activists include other members of the Coordination Council as well.
