The opposition in Belarus challenged President Alexander Lukashenko's re-election, saying authorities had "raped the minds" of voters, but officials dismissed their complaints on Thursday and endorsed the results.
Western countries, long critical of Lukashenko's Soviet-style rule, have joined the opposition in dismissing as fraudulent the poll, which gave the president 82.6 percent of the vote in last Sunday's poll.
His closest rival, Alexander Milinkevich, got 6.1 percent.
The European Union said on Thursday it was considering imposing visa sanctions on the entire Belarus leadership, extending a ban which at present covers six officials, though it was not clear whether this would include Lukashenko himself.
Although security forces routinely disperse protests, up to 10,000 protesters have been allowed to stay in a Minsk square since the vote. A big opposition rally is scheduled for Saturday.
Another opposition candidate, Alexander Kozulin, who placed third with 2.2 percent of the vote, was allowed by the Central Election Commission to contest the returns.
"The presidential election was unconstitutional, unfair and does not conform to Belarussian laws," he told the commission.
"There was mass fraud and irregularities. Society has been infected by a malignant cancer of fear. The authorities have raped the minds of our people."
Commission members rejected his call for a re-run vote in September and Kozulin stormed out of the meeting.
"None of the arguments presented were of a serious nature and do not stand up to criticism," Commission head Lidiya Yermoshina said.
Commission secretary Nikolai Lazovik said Lukashenko's victory was underscored by a record turnout of 92.9 percent.
Several hundred activists, mostly students, pressed on with protests for a fifth day, waving the banned national red-and-white flag at a makeshift tent camp in October Square.vMany sang folk songs to keep spirits up against the chill.
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