BELARUSSIAN POLICE ON SUNDAY DETAINED ABOUT 30 PEOPLE WHO STAGED A DEMONSTRATION OUTSIDE THE RUSSIAN EMBASSY TO DEMAND THE KREMLIN STOP BACKING HARDLINE PRESIDENT ALEXANDER LUKASHENKO, REUTERS REPORTED. THE DEMONSTRATION WAS MOUNTED AS RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN, ONE OF ONLY A HANDFUL OF WORLD LEADERS TO CONGRATULATE LUKASHENKO ON HIS RE-ELECTION IN MARCH, HOSTED A G8 SUMMIT IN ST. PETERSBURG. THE DEMONSTRATORS HAD DEFIED A BAN THREE DAYS AFTER OPPOSITION LEADER ALEXANDER KOZULIN WAS SENTENCED TO 5 1/2 YEARS IN PRISON FOR HOOLIGANISM AND INCITEMENT TO MASS DISORDER IN CONNECTION WITH PROTESTS AGAINST LUKASHENKO'S RE-ELECTION.
