The first protests in Minsk this year, around 100 people were arrested: They demanded Lukashenko's resignation

Belarusian police arrested around 100 demonstrators in Minsk who protested today for the first time this year, demanding the resignation of authoritarian president Alexander Lukashenko.

Police said they arrested protesters who formed so-called human chains across Minsk, the Associated Press reports.

There were up to 30 demonstrators in human chains, according to the police, who did not announce the exact number of those arrested.

Demonstrators carried red and white flags, which are the symbol of the opposition, and shouted "Go away" to Lukashenko.

Mass anti-government protests began across Belarus after the August 9 presidential election, due to official vote results showing Lukashenko winning more than 80 percent of the vote.

Opponents of Lukashenko claim that the elections were stolen.

Despite the authorities' efforts to quell the demonstrations with arrests and repression of demonstrators and activists, the mass protests did not subside for months.

The protests began to weaken with the arrival of extremely cold weather in December, and there were none for the previous few weeks.

Since the demonstrations began in August, at least four people have died either at the protest or after being arrested.

More than 30.000 protesters were arrested, of whom, according to human rights groups, thousands were beaten.

Lukashenko (66), who has ruled Belarus since July 1994, with repression of the opposition and independent media, has the support of Russia, while he accuses Western countries of inciting the protests.