Belarus Interior Minister Says Gov't Prevented Entry Of Up To 1,000 'Foreign Instructors'

MINSK (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 28th October, 2020) The Belarusian government has prevented the entry of up to 1,000 foreign instructors seeking to instigate protests, and are only few instructors currently present in the country, Interior Minister Yury Karayev said in an interview with political expert Alexander Sosnovsky.

"Up to 1,000 people tried to get into the country. Fortunately for us and unfortunately for them, the State Border Committee works perfectly well. We do not feel a significant presence of instructors now. There are only a few cases," Karayev said.

According to the interior minister, radical protesters chiefly communicate through Telegram.

Commenting on the possibility for the police to use combat weapons against participants of unauthorized rallies, Karayev expressed the belief that sabotage, acts of terrorism and attacks on law enforcers should be prevented through the full range of available means.

"Military weapons are primarily applicable while suppressing criminal actions, when all the other methods have already been used. There is nothing wrong with this statement," Karayev said.

The interior minister stressed that combat weapons would not be used indiscriminately against peaceful protesters.

"A person engages in sabotage or a terror attack, or attacks a police officer. The person does not just resist but resorts to violence instead. Of course, this person must be stopped with the full range of means the police officer has, from physical power to combat arms," Karayev concluded.