Belarus opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya has called for peaceful rallies across the country, after she was forced to leave for Lithuania in the wake of a disputed election. "Don't stay on the sidelines," she said, proposing a broad council to work on the transfer of power. Alexander Lukashenko has ruled Belarus since 1994 but Sunday's presidential vote was condemned by the EU and US. Protests have erupted across the country calling for him to quit. Some 6,700 people were arrested in the wake of the election, and many have spoken of torture at the hands of the security services. As protests continued for a sixth day and walkouts from state factories grew on Friday, EU foreign ministers held an emergency video meeting and agreed to prepare new sanctions on Belarusian officials responsible "for violence and falsification". Amnesty International said accounts from released detainees suggested "widespread torture". Russia on Friday said Belarus had handed back 32 suspected mercenaries who had been detained since last month. Authorities in Belarus said the men were in the country to destabilise Sunday's election, while Russia said they were just passing through. Details of their release are not yet clear. Ms Tikhanovskaya was held for seven hours herself on Monday night, when she went to register a complaint about the election, before she was forced into exile. The Central Election Commission says Mr Lukashenko won 80.1% of the vote and Ms Tikhanovskaya 10.12%. But Ms Tikhanovskaya insists that where votes were properly counted, she won support ranging from 60% to 70%. She has called on mayors to organise "peaceful mass gatherings" on Saturday and Sunday.