Abandonados pelo Ocidente

6,000 defy president's threats to protest against Belarus poll

Thousands of opposition supporters gathered in Minsk last night to protest at a disputed presidential election in what the US has called an outpost of tyranny in Europe.

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The secret service, still known as the KGB, has warned of plots to explode bombs in the crowd and told would-be demonstrators they could face the death penalty. The president has warned those thinking of taking part he would "wring their necks as one would a duckling".

After casting his own vote, he lambasted the United States, which has openly supported the opposition, denouncing President George W Bush as "terrorist number one on the planet".

Mr Lukashenko has not allowed his record to speak for itself, instead crushing dissent, bringing the media under state control, outlawing independent organisations and emasculating parliament.

Hundreds of his opponents have been arrested or beaten, among them rival presidential candidate Alexander Kozulin, during the election campaign.

Even the internet, Belarus's last medium of free expression, came under attack yesterday as mysterious simultaneous technical problems closed all opposition sites.