Belarus president sworn in secretly

Embattled Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko was sworn in for his sixth term in an unannounced ceremony on Sept. 23 as protests against his presidency continued in the capital, Minsk. After the inauguration was announced, large protests were held at the capitol. Injuries were reported when a high-pressure water hose was used against protesters.

Opposition groups in Belarus claim that the election, in which Lukashenko won nearly 80% of the popular vote, was fraudulent. The US and EU refuse to recognize Lukashenko as the president and have imposed sanctions on him and other Belarusian leaders.