‘Hundreds of protesters arrested’ in Belarus

“You saw how our law-enforcers behaved. They stood firm and acted exclusively within the bounds of the law. They defended the country and people from barbarism and ruin.”

“There will be no revolution or criminality in Belarus.”

Several hundred people were detained when police dispersed at least 10,000 anti-Lukashenko demonstrators in the centre of the capital on Sunday night, officials said.

The demonstrators tried to storm a government building, but were pushed back by riot police. Dozens of people in the crowd were injured in clashes after being beaten with batons, according to eyewitnesses.

Mr Lukashenko also dismissed the criticism of the election, saying he could not imagine what else he could have done to make the elections more democratic.

“We passed it in a worthy fashion and we did everything so the campaign was honest, open and in strict correspondence with the law.”

“The Belarusian people have made their choice, expressing their will in a vote of confidence in the political course aimed at the further building of a strong, prosperous and independent state,” he added.