The protesters demand to free prisoners and hold fair elections. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. Belarus held presidential elections on August 9, immediately followed by mass protests and strikes across the country. “It’s not decent to have dealings with a ‘head of government’ who’s afraid of his own inauguration,” he added. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. “This kind of president the Kremlin doesn’t need,” wrote analyst Alexei Malashenko of the Institute of Dialogue of Civilizations, in a post to the Echo of Moscow radio website. Why we will cover the protests in Belarus – Editorial, To help Belarus, recognize Tsikhanouskaya as the legitimate president-elect, Support Belarusian pro-democratic activists and their families, Chilling testimonies of police brutality, humiliation & “re-education” amid vicious crackdown on Belarusian protesters, Flowers stronger than guns as “Ladies in White” protests spread throughout Belarus, Lukashenka shuts out voices of free media by detentions, deportations, and recruiting staff from Russia, Pillar of Lukashenka’s regime cracks as court journalists abandon ship, Belarusian dissidents in 1999-2000: sudden disappearances & unsolved murders, Ukrainian human rights activists detained in Minsk, Boosting the price of aggression. The Belarus authorities responded with a violent crackdown and mass detentions. Despite being nominal allies, Minsk and Moscow have clashed over issues ranging from gas politics and the response to the coronavirus to the timetable for a long delayed supra union state between the two countries. “We consider it unacceptable to intimidate opponents, imprison them, obstruct independent national observers at polling stations, violate the right of voters to express their will, as well as the government’s full control over the Central Election Commission of Belarus,” the council said in a statement.
“After that, Lukashenko can no longer count on any democratic legitimacy,“ added Seibert. We defended our values our peaceful life, our sovereignty, and our independence,” said Lukashenko in addressing a grim audience of several hundred officials bussed in for the occasion. An independent vote count established there is no way Lukashenka could have won the 80.1% of the votes that he claimed. MOSCOW - Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko claimed the formal beginning of his 6th presidential term in office on Wednesday — holding a secret inauguration ceremony in defiance of mass demonstrations demanding an end to his 26-year rule in the wake of controversial elections last month. Lukashenko insists he won the August 9 election in a landslide — garnering 80% of all ballots — despite widespread claims at home and abroad the vote was heavily rigged to keep him in power. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. Tikhanouskaya has repeatedly insisted she has no intention of remaining in office — instead saying she would call for free and fair elections once Lukashenko had been removed from power. Protests have been ongoing ever since, amplified by a growing strike movement. Only 21 of the 110 elected deputies were members of political parties, with all belonging to pro-government parties; the Communist Party of Belarus emerged as the largest party in the House of Representatives with 11 MPs, the Republican Party of Labour and Justice came second with six seats, the Belarusian Patriotic Party won two and the Agrarian Party and Liberal Democratic Party won a seat each. Opposition reacts
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. Meanwhile, probable president-elect Sviatlana Tsikanouskaya had been forced to leave the country; all other opposition leaders have been also either jailed or expelled. Key candidates were arrested ahead of the vote — including Tikhanouskaya’s husband — which prompted her surrogate candidacy. Neither were foreign dignitaries — including representatives Russia, Lukashenko’s closest ally — on hand. “We didn’t simply choose a president. On 4 September, Ukrainian MPs started the daily session by expressing solidarity with the people of Belarus. The United States recognizes the peaceful conduct of the November 17 parliamentary elections in Belarus and the high number of accredited local and international observers. Culture, Featured, Politics. In addition, MPs rejected Belarusian accusations concerning Ukraine’s “involvement in destabilizing the situation in Belarus” and said that “any intention to involve Russian … forces to resolve the situation in Belarus” is a direct threat to European security and Ukraine’s security. Parliamentary Elections, 11 September 2016 Video from the press conference Following an invitation by the authorities of the Republic of Belarus to observe the 11 September parliamentary elections, and in accordance with its mandate, OSCE/ODIHR deployed an Election Observation Mission (EOM) for these elections.