Belarus Updates: The Latest Detentions

1435 GMT: Reports indicated five Presidential candidates --- Andrei Sannikov, Vladimir Neklyaev, Nikolai Statkevich, Vitaly Rymashevsky, and Alexei Mikhalevich have been charged with organizing activities which led to "riots" on Election Day on 19 December.

Under the order, the five men can be detained for two months while investigations continue.

The Guardian of London picks up on the story, reporting "at least four" candidates charged --- it does not list Mikhalevich.

1350 GMT: Vyasna posts a preliminary report from independent monitors on the election:

Presidential elections in 2010 were marked by a number of positive changes compared to previous presidential elections, including greater respect for civil and political rights during the election campaign. However, the electoral process did not conform to a number of key international standards for democratic elections. This was due to a lack of equal access to media for all candidates, the absence of an impartial election commission, and unfair use of administrative resources in favor of the incumbent. Most important in this respect was the lack of...accountability during the vote count.

0830 GMT: Four youth activists, including Franak Vyachorka, Anton Kopijsh, and Andrei Krechko, have been detained. 

Vyachorka was one of the organizers of a rally near the prison where many of the 700 detainees, arrested during Election Day protests on 19 December, are held. About 100 people gathered two days later to demonstrate against the detentions.