Opposition requires non-recognition of vote set to increase Lukashenko’s 30-year rule.
Belarus plans to carry a presidential vote, by which incumbent Alexander Lukashenko is more likely to safe a seventh straight time period, on January 26.
The Central Election Fee (CEC) introduced the date in Minsk on Wednesday. Lukashenko, a staunch ally of Russia who has been accused of manipulating previous elections and stamping out political opposition, has tightened his grip on dissent since Moscow launched its invasion of neighbouring Ukraine in February 2022.
The CEC stated in an announcement on social media that parliament had accredited the date of the vote. Lukashenko stated earlier this 12 months that he would search re-election in 2025.
Democratic forces in Belarus, searching for to unseat Lukashenko since he first took power in 1994 following the collapse of the Soviet Union, have beforehand acknowledged that they may search non-recognition of the election by the worldwide group.
As in earlier votes, the final election in 2020 was marred by studies of widespread fraud. The CEC’s announcement of Lukashenko’s victory that 12 months triggered weeks of mass protests that appeared to place Belarus on the sting of revolution.
Nonetheless, Lukashenko managed to take a grip of the state of affairs and a vicious crackdown adopted, with many 1000’s arrested or fleeing.
Belarus has about 1,300 political prisoners, in accordance with the Viasna human rights group.
‘Sham’
Amongst these compelled into exile in 2020 was challenger Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who had earlier claimed to have gained with greater than 60 p.c of the vote.
She was fast to slam the announcement of the election date, doubting the chance of a free and honest race.
“Lukashenka has introduced the date of his ‘reelection’,” Tsikhanouskaya wrote on social media, utilizing a distinct spelling of the president’s identify. “It’s a sham with no actual electoral course of, performed in an environment of terror.”
https://x.com/Tsihanouskaya/standing/1848997716862345374
“No different candidates or observers will likely be allowed,” she continued. “We name on Belarusians and the worldwide group to reject this farce.”
Having beforehand come near sealing a detente with the West amid an obvious cooling of relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Lukashenko’s crackdown on political dissent during the last decade or extra has seen him return firmly to Moscow’s fold.
In February 2022 he allowed Russian troops to make use of Belarusian territory to launch their invasion of Ukraine.
Russia has introduced plans to find strategic nuclear weapons in Belarus. Lukashenko lately reiterated threats that he’ll use nuclear weapons if his nation is attacked.