Belarus police raids offices, homes of activists in ongoing crackdown on dissent

Inan ongoing crackdown on dissent by President Alexander Lukashenko's regime,Belarusian security police searched offices and homes of lawyers and human rights activists.

Authorities in Belarus have moved to shut down non-state media outlets and human rightsgroups after mass protests last August against a presidential election the opposition said was rigged.

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Police searched offices of at least 14 rights groups, media, NGOs, and charity groups, including the human rights organisation, Viasna-96, and the country's oldest political party,Belarusian People Front, the groups said.

Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, a protest leader who fledBelarusamid a post-election crackdown, said Lukashenko's regime was taking revenge on human rights activists and media.

"The (regime) accomplices have already threatened civil society in response to sanctions,they hope they can feel his power again if everyone in the country is silent," she wrote on Telegram messenger.

Last week, authorities banned online access to Nasha Niva, the country's oldest newspaper, and raided the offices of several regional newspapers.

Those raids came a day after one of Lukashenko's main challengers, Viktor Babaryko, was sentenced to 14 years in prison.

Lukashenko, the long-serving authoritarian leader who sparked mass rallies by claiming a sixth presidential term last year, has drawn condemnation from the West whose leaders say the vote was not free or fair.

Western nations have slapped a slew of sanctions on Lukashenko and his regime, but they appear to have had limited effect as he maintains backing from key ally and creditor Russia.

(With inputs from agencies)