Authorities in Belarus have been granted approval to use lethal weapons to quell protesters. The country's interior ministry said it was forced to make the decision owing to the "radicalization" of antigovernment protests.
Protests have escalated, leading to clashes between police and antigovernment protesters. On Sunday, tensions rose after security forces fought back and arrested dozens of protesters. Authorities used nonlethal weapons such as water cannon, tear gas, flashbangs, rubber bullets and batons to subdue protesters.
Film showed some officers in balaclavas taking protesters to black vans. Other video showed alleged officers beating protesters with batons. Reports said thousands attended the protests over the weekend in the capital Minsk.
Protests began after presidential elections in August. Alexander Lukashenko was said to have won by a landslide. Residents protested - demanding Lukashenko step down and for the country to hold new elections. Lukashenko, who has been in power since 1994, denied he cheated.
Residents held one of the country's biggest protests since its independence right after the results. More than 3,000 people were arrested in one night. At least 50 were taken to hospital and one reportedly died.
Britain, the European Union, Germany, Canada and the U.S. have imposed sanctions on senior Belarus officials. The officials were accused of fraud and human rights violations.
"We have to acknowledge that since our last meeting nothing has improved. The Lukashenko regime continues to exercise violence, we still see arrests of peaceful demonstrators," Germany's Foreign Minister said Monday.
Since the election, more than 13,000 people have been arrested. Some have been released but thousands remain behind bars. Lukashenko has reportedly been targeting political opponents since his win, with most now in jail or having left the country.
Opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, who now operates from Lithuania, is calling for new elections and demanding that Lukashenko free political prisoners.
