Members of the European Council on Wednesday said they do not recognize Belarus’ August 9 election results where President Alexander Lukashenko was re-elected in a landslide victory, claiming 80 percent of the votes. The EU will also impose sanctions against “a substantial number of individuals responsible for violence, repression and the falsification of election results,” which it had indicated on August 11.

In conclusions following the video conference of the members, Charles Michel, President of the European Council, said: “The 9 August elections were neither free nor fair, therefore we do not recognise the results.” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, in a joint press conference with Michel, condemned violence by state authorities against peaceful protesters.

Lukashenko has been in power for six terms, or 26 years. In the protests that erupted on August 9, primarily demanding new presidential elections amid rigging claims, at least two people have died, thousands have been arrested, and hundreds claimed to have been beaten or injured.

Lukashenko ordered the police to clear the streets and the State Border Committee to tighten border controls on Wednesday to “prevent militants, weapons, ammunition, and money from other countries from entering Belarus to finance the riots.” A day later, Belarus opened a criminal case against opposition leaders, accusing them of attempting to seize power. The Belarusian central election commission, as reported by Russian news agency TASS, has said that Lukashenko is set to be inaugurated for a new term within the next two months.