Thousands rally ahead of presidential election

Thousands of people gathered in the capital of Belarus on Thursday to support the opposition candidate Sviatlana Tsihanaouvskaya. Tsihanaouvskaya is seen as the biggest threat in two decades to the country's long-time ruler, President Alexander Lukashenko. Sviatlana Tsihanaouvskaya is running for president after her husband, a popular You Tuber, was first barred from running and then jailed on what have been described as politically motivated charges.

Tsihanouvskaya's team has faced bans on its gatherings in recent days. Thursday's rally saw her supporters gather in a local park for a protest rally, but the protest was called off. Police have detained over 1,360 participants in opposition protests since the start of the campaign in May, according to the human rights center in Belarus.