Belarusian opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya wants her supporters to step up their actions.

In a video message, she called for more strikes and asked her compatriots not to give way to “intimidation”.

In Belarus, there have been massive demonstrations against the regime of Alexander Lukashenko for almost two weeks.

It has ruled the former Soviet state with a heavy hand for a quarter of a century.

Angry citizens believe that widespread electoral fraud has been committed to keeping the 65-year-old president in power.

Lukashenko rules out new elections. Its security forces have cracked down on protesters. The opposition has called on the army and the police to protect the people and to ignore the president’s orders.

“We ask you to go down in history as heroes of the people of Belarus,” said politician Maria Kolesnikova.