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Belarus Cracks Down on Dissent Ahead of Election
Belarus sees a new wave of arrests ahead of the upcoming election, targeting participants in online chats and intensifying the crackdown on dissent.
English
United States
PoliticsHuman Rights ViolationsHuman RightsElectionBelarusRepression
Viasna Human Rights CenterCentral Election CommissionAp
Alexander LukashenkoPavel SapelkaSviatlana Tsikhanouskaya
- What prompted the recent wave of arrests in Belarus?
- Belarusian authorities have arrested over 100 people since Thursday, targeting participants in online chats used for coordinating daily needs and previously for protests.
- How did Belarusian authorities respond to the 2020 protests?
- The arrests are part of a crackdown ahead of the January election, where President Lukashenko seeks a seventh term. Authorities designated dozens of online chats as part of an alleged extremist network.
- What is the current status of political prisoners in Belarus?
- About 65,000 people were arrested during the 2020 crackdown following protests triggered by a presidential vote deemed rigged by the opposition and the West. 1,300 political prisoners are currently detained.
- What is the response of the Belarusian opposition leader in exile to the recent events?
- Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, Belarusian opposition leader in exile, urged the West to respond to the arrests and called for Belarusians to vote against all candidates in the upcoming election.
- How is the Belarusian government attempting to create a semblance of competition in the upcoming election?
- Seven politicians loyal to Lukashenko have been allowed to collect signatures to run against him, while two opposition politicians were denied. This is seen as a bid to create a semblance of competition.