Leader of Belarus marks 30 years in power after crushing all dissent and cozying up to Moscow
5 months ago

Leader of Belarus marks 30 years in power after crushing all dissent and cozying up to Moscow

Associated Press  

TALLINN, Estonia — For three decades, European leaders have come and gone by the dozens, but Alexander Lukashenko remains in absolute control of Belarus. “Lukashenko has turned Belarus into a fragment of the USSR, dangerous not only for its own citizens but also threatening its Western neighbors with nuclear weapons,” said independent political analyst Valery Karbalevich. He describes the Belarusian leader as “one of the most experienced post-Soviet politicians, who has learned to play on both on the Kremlin’s mood and the fears of his own people.” When the former state farm director was first elected in July 1994 just 2½ years after Belarus gained independence following the USSR’s collapse, he pledged to fight corruption and boost living standards that had plunged amid chaotic free-market reforms. Now Lukashenko is paying back that support with the country’s sovereignty.” Belarus’ leading human rights group Viasna counts about 1,400 political prisoners in the country, including group founder and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ales Bialiatski, who has been held incommunicado like other opposition figures. “Lukashenko has created a harsh personalist political regime in the center of Europe with thousands of political prisoners where civic institutions don’t function and time has turned back,” said Bialiatski’s wife, Natalia Pinchuk.

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History of this topic

Belarus’ authoritarian ruler pardons 29 political prisoners amid claims of ongoing repression
2 weeks ago

Belarus’ authoritarian ruler pardons 29 political prisoners amid claims of ongoing repression

Associated Press  

TALLINN, Estonia — Belarus’ authoritarian leader, Alexander Lukashenko, pardoned 29 political prisoners Monday amid what human rights groups describe as renewed oppression in the country. The mass pardons come amid a new wave of repression as the authorities prepare to hold new presidential elections in January 2025, said Viasna spokesman Pavel Sapelka. “Repression in Belarus is still growing.” The Belarusian …

Imprisoned Belarus activist resurfaces after no contact with her family for 20 months
Trending News
1 month, 1 week ago

Imprisoned Belarus activist resurfaces after no contact with her family for 20 months

Hindustan Times  

TALLINN, Estonia — Imprisoned Belarusian opposition activist Maria Kolesnikova has resurfaced after more than 20 months without any communication with relatives or friends and met with her father, a human rights group said Tuesday. Imprisoned Belarus activist resurfaces after no contact with her family for 20 months Kolesnikova, one of the most popular and charismatic figures who helped lead protests …

Imprisoned Belarus activist resurfaces after no contact with her family for 20 months
1 month, 1 week ago

Imprisoned Belarus activist resurfaces after no contact with her family for 20 months

Associated Press  

TALLINN, Estonia — Imprisoned Belarusian opposition activist Maria Kolesnikova has resurfaced after more than 20 months without any communication with relatives or friends and met with her father, a human rights group said Tuesday. Kolesnikova gained prominence when mass protests erupted in Belarus after the widely disputed August 2020 election gave Lukashenko a sixth term in office. The U.N. Human …

Belarus’ hardline president releases 31 political prisoners but crackdown persists
1 month, 2 weeks ago

Belarus’ hardline president releases 31 political prisoners but crackdown persists

Associated Press  

TALLINN, Estonia — Belarus’s authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko, who has led a harsh crackdown on opposition, pardoned and released 31 political prisoners, his office announced Thursday. The announcement said the freed prisoners had been convicted of “crimes of an extremist nature,” a description widely used for opposition figures and people arrested in the mass protests that arose in 2020 after …

Belarus's Lukashenko pardons 31 people convicted over 'extremism'
1 month, 2 weeks ago

Belarus's Lukashenko pardons 31 people convicted over 'extremism'

Firstpost  

“Two women and 29 men have been pardoned,” the Belarusian presidency said in a statement, adding that 17 of them had “chronic illnesses” and seven were parents of small children Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko has pardoned 31 political prisoners, the latest such move that comes two months before an election in which he is set to extend his 30-year rule. …

Belarus’ authoritarian leader pardons 30 out of some 1,400 political prisoners
4 months, 1 week ago

Belarus’ authoritarian leader pardons 30 out of some 1,400 political prisoners

Associated Press  

TALLINN, Estonia — Belarus’ authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko has pardoned 30 prisoners convicted for taking part in protests, the presidential office said Friday. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, the Belarusian opposition leader-in-exile, welcomed the move but vowed to keep fighting until each of nearly 1,400 political prisoners in the country is set free. The Viasna human rights group estimates that Belarus now has …

Belarus’ authoritarian president pardons German man sentenced to death on terrorism charges
4 months, 3 weeks ago

Belarus’ authoritarian president pardons German man sentenced to death on terrorism charges

Associated Press  

TALLINN, Estonia — Belarus’ authoritarian leader on Tuesday granted a pardon to a German citizen who had been sentenced to death on terrorism charges. Krieger’s lawyer Vladimir Gorbach, who took part in the meeting, told the Belarusian state TV that Lukashenko said he would consider Krieger’s request for pardon and announce his decision later. Pavel Sapelka of Belarus’ Viasna human …

Belarus frees head of banned party as Lukashenko slowly releases some political prisoners
5 months ago

Belarus frees head of banned party as Lukashenko slowly releases some political prisoners

Associated Press  

TALLINN, Estonia — The head of a banned Belarusian opposition party who had been behind bars for two years was released on Monday as the authoritarian country frees a trickle of political prisoners, according to the respected human rights group Viasna. Lukashenko announced an amnesty in early July for some seriously ill political prisoners, and 19 have been released so …

Key events in Alexander Lukashenko’s 30 years as the iron-fisted leader of Belarus
5 months ago

Key events in Alexander Lukashenko’s 30 years as the iron-fisted leader of Belarus

Associated Press  

Key events in the 30-year rule of Belarus’ hard-line President Alexander Lukashenko: July 20, 1994 — Lukashenko is inaugurated as president after a landslide victory in what international observers say was the post-Soviet country’s first and only genuinely free election. 1996 — Alarmed by Lukashenko’s increasingly authoritarian turn, thousands of protesters fill the streets in what became known as the …

Leader of Belarus marks 30 years in power after crushing all dissent and cozying up to Moscow
5 months ago

Leader of Belarus marks 30 years in power after crushing all dissent and cozying up to Moscow

The Independent  

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. “Lukashenko has turned Belarus into a fragment of the USSR, …

Belarus’ authoritarian leader names new foreign minister and reshuffles other top officials
5 months, 3 weeks ago

Belarus’ authoritarian leader names new foreign minister and reshuffles other top officials

Associated Press  

TALLINN, Estonia — Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko on Thursday reshuffled his top officials in what observers saw as part of maneuvering ahead of the 2025 presidential election. As part of the government changes announced Thursday, Lukashenko named Maksim Ryzhankou as the new foreign minister to replace Sergei Aleinik, who had spent less than two years on the job. Pavel Latushkа, …

Belarus arrests well-known activist on charges punishable by up to 4 years in prison, group says
8 months, 3 weeks ago

Belarus arrests well-known activist on charges punishable by up to 4 years in prison, group says

Associated Press  

TALLINN, Estonia — Authorities in Belarus have arrested a well-known activist on charges punishable by up to four years in prison, the country’s oldest rights group said Tuesday in what appears to be the latest in the yearslong crackdown on dissent. Dzmitry Kuchuk, whose Green Party was shut down last year, has been charged with “organizing activities that grossly violate …

Belarus’ election reinforces the authoritarian leader’s 30-year rule. Only loyalists could run
9 months, 4 weeks ago

Belarus’ election reinforces the authoritarian leader’s 30-year rule. Only loyalists could run

Associated Press  

TALLINN, Estonia — Belarusian authorities on Monday announced preliminary results from parliamentary and local elections in which only candidates loyal to the country’s authoritarian leader were allowed to compete and the opposition called for a boycott. The vote further cemented the 30-year rule of President Alexander Lukashenko, who declared his intention to seek another five-year term in a presidential election …

President of Belarus gives himself immunity from prosecution and limits potential challengers
11 months, 2 weeks ago

President of Belarus gives himself immunity from prosecution and limits potential challengers

Associated Press  

TALLINN, Estonia — President Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus signed a new law Thursday that gives him lifelong immunity from criminal prosecution and prevents opposition leaders living abroad from running in future presidential elections. The new measure appears aimed at further shoring up Lukashenko’s power and eliminating potential challengers in the country’s next presidential election, which is due to take place …

Belarus leader Lukashenko’s purported mediation in Kremlin crisis stretches credibility to the limit
1 year, 5 months ago

Belarus leader Lukashenko’s purported mediation in Kremlin crisis stretches credibility to the limit

CNN  

CNN — Nearly three years ago, Russian President Vladimir Putin stood by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko in his hour of need, backing Europe’s longest-running dictator as he faced a wave of street protests. A quick recap: A major crisis shook the foundations of the Russian state Saturday, as forces loyal to Wagner mercenary boss Yevgeny Prigozhin marched toward Moscow. The …

Belarus hands lengthy prison terms to 18 participants of 2020 protests
1 year, 6 months ago

Belarus hands lengthy prison terms to 18 participants of 2020 protests

Associated Press  

TALLINN, Estonia — A court in Belarus on Wednesday handed lengthy prison terms to 18 participants of mass anti-government protests that shook the country in 2020, the latest step in a brutal years-long effort to stifle all and any dissent. According to the authorities, the protesters formed a resistance movement, attacked law enforcement officers, carried out acts of sabotage and …

Belarus sentences exiled opposition leader to 15 years
1 year, 9 months ago

Belarus sentences exiled opposition leader to 15 years

Associated Press  

TALLINN, Estonia — A court in Belarus on Monday sentenced exiled opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya to 15 years in prison after a trial in absentia on charges including conspiring to overthrow the government, the latest move in a months-long effort by the Belarusian government to suppress dissent. U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric, asked whether Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had any reaction to …

Belarus activist gets 25-year sentence for opposing regime
2 years, 2 months ago

Belarus activist gets 25-year sentence for opposing regime

Associated Press  

TALLINN, Estonia — A leading Belarusian political activist was handed a 25-year prison sentence on Monday for opposing President Alexander Lukashenko’s regime, the latest move in a relentless crackdown on dissent in the ex-Soviet nation. Investigators accused Autukhovich and others who faced trial alongside him in the western city of Grodno of setting alight a car belonging to a police …

Belarus urges Russia-led military alliance to unite against West
2 years, 7 months ago

Belarus urges Russia-led military alliance to unite against West

Al Jazeera  

Lukashenko, a key ally of Moscow, accused the West of supporting Nazi ideas and of being ‘at war with Russia’ in Ukraine. “Without a united front, the collective West will build up pressure on the post-Soviet space,” Lukashenko said, addressing President Putin and the leaders of Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. Sanctions imposed on Belarus have blocked $16-$18bn worth of …

Australia sanctions Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, more Russians
2 years, 8 months ago

Australia sanctions Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, more Russians

ABC  

The federal government has sanctioned the Belarusian President and members of his family, as well as 22 more Russian propagandists, in response to their role in the war in Ukraine. Key points: Alexander Lukashenko, his son and his wife have all now been sanctioned They have been sanctioned for offering military and strategic support to Russia The federal government says …

Who is Europe’s ‘last dictator’ Alexander Lukashenko?
2 years, 9 months ago

Who is Europe’s ‘last dictator’ Alexander Lukashenko?

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Prior to open warfare erupting last week, the country’s …

Belarus says could host nuclear weapons if faces Western threat
2 years, 10 months ago

Belarus says could host nuclear weapons if faces Western threat

The Hindu  

Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko said on Thursday his country could host nuclear weapons if it faces any external threats, as tensions soar between his ally Russia and the West over Ukraine. "If necessary, if such stupid and mindless steps are taken by our rivals and opponents, we will deploy not only nuclear weapons, but super-nuclear and up-and-coming ones to protect …

Belarus hands opposition leader’s husband 18 years in prison
3 years ago

Belarus hands opposition leader’s husband 18 years in prison

Associated Press  

KYIV, Ukraine — A court in Belarus on Tuesday sentenced the husband of the country’s opposition leader to 18 years in prison, six months after the trial began behind closed doors. “I don’t have the right to tell my children that they won’t see their father for so many years, because I don’t believe it myself.” Siarhei Tsikhanouski has already …

Europe’s ‘last dictator’: Who is Belarus’s Alexander Lukashenko?
3 years ago

Europe’s ‘last dictator’: Who is Belarus’s Alexander Lukashenko?

Al Jazeera  

A brief history of the country’s first and only president accused of masterminding a new migration crisis. Dubbed “Europe’s last dictator” 20 years ago at a time when Putin was seen as a pro-Western political newcomer, Lukashenko is used to withstanding Western criticism and sanctions. “Lukashenko’s crisis is caused by the nullification of these factors – he still controls the …

Opinion: One of us was tortured for fighting a dictator. The other was fired for blowing the whistle on Donald Trump
3 years, 1 month ago

Opinion: One of us was tortured for fighting a dictator. The other was fired for blowing the whistle on Donald Trump

CNN  

Editor’s Note: Alexander Vindman, a retired US Army Lieutenant Colonel, is a doctoral student at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, the author of the memoir, “Here, Right Matters” and a Renew Democracy Initiative board member. He sacrificed his military career when he reported former President Donald Trump’s threats to withhold support from Ukraine if Ukrainian President Volodymyr …

‘Europe’s last dictator’ raises the stakes with the West
3 years, 1 month ago

‘Europe’s last dictator’ raises the stakes with the West

Associated Press  

MOSCOW — For most of his 27 years as Belarus’ authoritarian president, Alexander Lukashenko’s repressions and truculent statements frequently offended the West. His disdain for democratic norms and the country’s dismal human rights record has made Belarus a pariah in the West, bringing him the sobriquet of “Europe’s last dictator.” The 67-year-old Lukashenko prefers to be styled as “Batka” — …

Belarus leader seeks to empower son in succession move
3 years, 7 months ago

Belarus leader seeks to empower son in succession move

Associated Press  

KYIV, Ukraine — Belarus’ authoritarian leader says he will change the law on presidential succession so that power in the Eastern European nation will be transferred if he dies to the national security council where his son plays a prominent role. Lukashenko himself is the head of the national security council, but his eldest son Viktor also has a seat …

They wanted democracy for Belarus. Instead they say they were beaten and raped by police
3 years, 9 months ago

They wanted democracy for Belarus. Instead they say they were beaten and raped by police

CNN  

Kiev, Ukraine – Sergei stood on a small sheet of ice in the Dnieper River and breathed in the icy air hard. “The feeling is indescribable, and I am all alone here.” Hundreds of thousands of Belarusians attended mass protests across the country last year following Lukashenko’s declaration of victory in the August vote. After being presented with a summary …

More than 900 people reported arrested in Belarus protests
4 years, 1 month ago

More than 900 people reported arrested in Belarus protests

LA Times  

A human rights group in Belarus said more than 900 people were arrested Sunday in protests around the country calling for authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko to step down. The demonstrations continued the wave of near-daily protests that have gripped Belarus since early August. Many of the demonstrators carried placards in commemoration of Raman Bandarenka, an opposition supporter who died Thursday …

Belarus: Alexander Lukashenko inaugurated as Belarus President
4 years, 3 months ago

Belarus: Alexander Lukashenko inaugurated as Belarus President

CNN  

Minsk CNN — Embattled Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko has been inaugurated as President, state media reported, as protests continue over his hotly-disputed election win. Opposition politicians described the ceremony as a “thieves’ meeting” and a “farce.” The opposition Coordination Council, set up to facilitate a transfer of power, urged members of the international community Wednesday to support its members and …

Belarus leader visits Putin to secure support amid protests
4 years, 3 months ago

Belarus leader visits Putin to secure support amid protests

Associated Press  

MOSCOW — Belarus’ authoritarian president visited Russia on Monday in a bid to secure more loans and political support, as demonstrations against the extension of his 26-year rule entered their sixth week. President Alexander Lukashenko’s talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Black Sea resort of Sochi came a day after an estimated 150,000 people flooded the streets of …

Belarus: The West can gnash its teeth. But there’s little it can do to change things
4 years, 3 months ago

Belarus: The West can gnash its teeth. But there’s little it can do to change things

CNN  

CNN — One by one, the leaders of the protest movement in Belarus are being taken out of circulation. Exactly a month after a hotly disputed election, Belarus’ long-time leader, President Alexander Lukashenko, is trying to “disrupt the opposition’s ability to sustain large-scale protests by arresting or expelling all organizers,” according to the Institute for the Study of War in …

Belarus’s problems won’t vanish when Lukashenko goes – victory for democracy also comes at a price
4 years, 3 months ago

Belarus’s problems won’t vanish when Lukashenko goes – victory for democracy also comes at a price

The Independent  

The best of Voices delivered to your inbox every week - from controversial columns to expert analysis Sign up for our free weekly Voices newsletter for expert opinion and columns Sign up to our free weekly Voices newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Although one …

Alexander Lukashenko | The autumn of the autocrat
4 years, 4 months ago

Alexander Lukashenko | The autumn of the autocrat

The Hindu  

Belarusian President Alexander Grigoryevich Lukashenko, who was re-elected in a disputed poll for a sixth term on August 9, remains unfazed by the groundswell of resistance stemming from allegations of vote rigging. Lacking credibility Mr. Lukashenko’s manoeuvres to remain in elected office have lacked even a modicum of credibility, as he went about rewriting the Constitution, marginalised the opposition and …

PHOTOS: Belarus' Massive And Unprecedented Protests
4 years, 4 months ago

PHOTOS: Belarus' Massive And Unprecedented Protests

NPR  

PHOTOS: Belarus' Massive And Unprecedented Protests Enlarge this image toggle caption Getty Images; Sergei Gapon/AFP via Getty Images; Dmitri Lovetsky/AP Getty Images; Sergei Gapon/AFP via Getty Images; Dmitri Lovetsky/AP Nearly two weeks after an Aug. 9 election kept Belarus' authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko in power amid accusations of vote-rigging, massive protests against Lukashenko continue and neither side is backing down. …

Lukashenko’s survival game: What happens next in Belarus?
4 years, 4 months ago

Lukashenko’s survival game: What happens next in Belarus?

Al Jazeera  

When Belarusians came out on August 9 to protest what they saw as a mass falsification of the presidential elections, Marat Mikhal knew that a violent police crackdown was imminent. He has also reached out to Russia’s President Vladimir Putin to request help, which has stirred fears of possible Russian military intervention, similar to the one in Ukraine in 2014. …

Belarus president remains defiant as protest strikes grow
4 years, 4 months ago

Belarus president remains defiant as protest strikes grow

Associated Press  

MINSK, Belarus — More workers in Belarus joined a widening strike Tuesday to press for the resignation of authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko, who has extended his 26-year rule in an election the opposition says was rigged. During Monday’s visit to a factory in Minsk he was heckled and jeered by workers shouting “Go away!” “The authorities should understand that they …

Embattled Belarus leader jeered by workers as strikes grow
4 years, 4 months ago

Embattled Belarus leader jeered by workers as strikes grow

Live Mint  

Workers heckled and jeered President Alexander Lukashenko on Monday as he visited a factory and strikes grew across Belarus, raising the pressure on the authoritarian leader to step down after 26 years in office. On the ninth straight day of mass protests over the official results of the Aug 9 presidential election that demonstrators say was rigged, Lukashenko flew by …

Belarus leader calls Putin to reaffirm mutual cooperation, later rejects foreign mediation offers
4 years, 4 months ago

Belarus leader calls Putin to reaffirm mutual cooperation, later rejects foreign mediation offers

CNN  

Minsk, Belarus Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko on Saturday rejected foreign mediation offers to help stabilize the volatile situation in his country. But reached out to Russian President Vladimir Putin with a call, and both men expressed confidence that the situation would "be resolved soon," according to a read out of the call published by the Kremlin. Lukashenko, who has been …

Rising star shakes up Belarus strongman's re-election bid
4 years, 4 months ago

Rising star shakes up Belarus strongman's re-election bid

India Today  

Belarus holds presidential polls on Sunday with a novice opposition candidate posing the greatest challenge in years to long-ruling strongman Alexander Lukashenko. The 65-year-old authoritarian leader has headed the ex-Soviet country bordering Russia since 1994 and Sunday's polls could hand him his sixth term. Belarus accused them of planning mass unrest along with detained opposition figures including Tikhanovskaya's husband. Lukashenko …

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