OREANDA-NEWS. President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko (pictured) signed a decree on awarding more than three hundred representatives of law enforcement agencies with the medal "For impeccable service" of three degrees.

Among those awarded with the medal "For impeccable service of the 1st degree", Deputy Commander of the Internal Troops Khazalbek Atabekov.

On August 17, Lukashenka explained that the beating of the detained protesters was their aggression towards law enforcement officers. According to him, the citizens were beaten because they "rushed at the cops themselves."

Mass protests are taking place in Belarus for the ninth day. Citizens oppose the official presidential election results, which they see as not reflecting reality. According to official statistics, Lukashenko won over 80 percent of the vote, while his main rival, Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, won only 10.12 percent. Thousands of workers of the main industrial enterprises of the country went on strike in the country and supported the protesters. Employees are being fired from state TV channels in protest against the actions of the authorities. Lukashenka called the strikes a "stab in the back" of the authorities.