MINSK. Dec 7 (Interfax) - Over 340 people have been placed in detention facilities in Belarus for participating in protest demonstrations on Sunday, December 6, Belarusian Interior Ministry spokesperson Olga Chemodanova said on Monday.
"For violating the law on mass events, 344 people have been placed in detention facilities across the country yesterday before courts hear their administrative offense cases," Chemodanova said.
Some of those detained on Sunday had already been held liable for involvement in unpermitted events, she said.
The Interior Ministry has taken all the necessary measures to maintain order in the country and to ensure public safety at the venues of unsanctioned events, she said.
The number of protests and the number of their participants has significantly declined as of late, she said.
"Despite active calls by various destructive Telegram channels and the posting of pictures to show how 'massive' the protests are, Sunday in fact passed quite calmly: the number of protest events and the number of their participants has declined significantly," Chemodanova said.
For nearly four months, Belarus has seen continuous protests against the official results of the August 9 presidential election. The authorities declared the incumbent head of state, Alexander Lukashenko, the winner. Lukashenko has been in office since 1994.
The most massive of these protests have been held in Minsk on Sundays. The format of these protests has somewhat changed in the past several weeks: instead of gathering at a common venue, protesters have held marches in different parts of Minsk.