Journalists detained in Minsk

The Belarusian police arrested some 20 journalists preparing to cover a protest in the centre of Minsk on Thursday and confiscated their phones and identity papers. Hours later, the Interior Ministry said journalists were taken to a police station to check whether they had an accreditation that would allow them to exercise their profession, but denied that they had been arrested. In power since 1994, President Alexander Lukashenko is facing an unprecedented protest movement provoked by his controversial re-election on 9 August, contested by the opposition. Since then, there have been daily demonstrations in the streets of the country, despite strong repression. Lukashenko denounced on Thursday a "hybrid war", diplomatic and media, led, he said, by his Baltic and Polish neighbours.