Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com).
Voice of America is funded by the US Federal Government and content it
exclusively produces is in the public domain.

Belarus Police Break Up Rally, Arrest Opposition Candidate
----------------------------------------------------------

http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=1181C87:3919ACA Witnesses say
Alexander Kozulin was among several people arrested as police blocked
protesters trying to march towards detention center where their
comrades were being held

Belarus police have broken up an opposition protest in the capital,
Minsk, and taken into custody an opposition presidential candidate,
Alexander Kozulin.

Witnesses say Kozulin was among several people arrested Saturday as
police blocked protesters trying to march towards a detention center
where their comrades were being held..

An opposition aide says police also detained a personal spokesman for
main opposition candidate, Alexander Milinkevich.

Earlier Saturday, Milinkevich had led thousands of supporters in a
protest against the results of last Sunday's disputed presidential
election. The rally had been moved to the park after police blocked
the entrance Minsk's October Square

Milinkevich lost in a landslide to hard-line President Alexander
Lukashenko. Western countries condemned the vote as undemocratic, but
Russia called it free and transparent.

Milinkevich and his supporters say they want a new and fair election.





Early Friday, Belarus riot police detained about 300 opposition
activists who had been camped out in October Square since polls closed
late Sunday.

The United States and European Union reacted by imposing new sanctions
against Mr. Lukashenko's government. He has ruled Belarus since 1994.



Some information for this report was provided by AP and Reuters.


.