Belarus is set to hold a presidential vote on January 26, in which Alexander Lukashenko is expected to secure a seventh term in office. Lukashenko, a close ally of Russia, has been accused of manipulating past elections and cracking down on dissent. Opposition forces in Belarus have called for the international community to not recognize the election.
The last election in 2020 was marred by allegations of fraud, leading to mass protests that were brutally suppressed by Lukashenko’s regime. Many political prisoners remain in Belarus, and challenger Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who was forced into exile in 2020, has criticized the upcoming vote as a “sham” with no real electoral process.
Tsikhanouskaya has called for Belarusians and the international community to reject the election, as she believes it will not be free or fair. Lukashenko’s crackdown on dissent has intensified in recent years, with the country aligning more closely with Russia, allowing its troops to launch an invasion of Ukraine from Belarusian territory in 2022.
The opposition in Belarus fears that the upcoming election will only serve to further entrench Lukashenko’s power and undermine democracy in the country. They are urging for international support in their quest for free and fair elections in Belarus.
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