Belarus intensifies crackdown ahead of contentious elections
The Viasna Human Rights Center reported another wave of detentions that swept Belarus on Thursday. Among those detained were relatives of political prisoners and individuals receiving help from volunteers and social organizations.
According to Viasna's reports, Belarusian authorities carried out arrests and searches in various regions of the country, including the Grodno region, Baranovichi, and Minsk. These actions targeted individuals associated with the opposition or those receiving support from social organizations.
Independent media have been reporting an intensification of Belarusian authorities' and police's actions since the end of October. The Nasha Niwa portal noted that "another wave of mass detentions began on October 31 and continues to this day."
Commentators and human rights defenders link the increase in the activity of security agencies with the presidential elections scheduled for January 26, 2025. They believe that the authorities' goal is "pre-election intimidation" of society and a demonstration of the security services' strength.
God forbid a woman is elected president in Belarus - said Aleksandr Lukashenko. - Besides, it’s a tough job. A woman shouldn’t be given so much work – it’s not a ceremonial position, he added.
The 70-year-old dictator has been in power in Belarus since 1994. Since 2020, his presidency has not been recognized by the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, or countries belonging to the European Union. Lukashenko closely collaborates with Vladimir Putin's Russia, which governs similarly.
After rigged elections in 2020, which were not recognized by Western countries, repressions against the opposition have been ongoing in Belarus. The democratic opposition, forced into exile, has called the regime's planned election campaign a "non-election." Presidential candidate Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who fled the country, was sentenced in absentia to 15 years in prison by a Belarusian court.
