Belarus crackdown targets opposition ahead of 2025 election
The Viasna Human Rights Centre reported a fresh wave of detentions that swept Belarus on Thursday. Among those detained were relatives of political prisoners and individuals receiving assistance from volunteers and social organisations.
According to Viasna's reports, Belarusian authorities conducted arrests and searches in various regions of the country, including the Grodno region, Baranovichi, and Minsk. These actions targeted individuals linked to the opposition or those receiving support from social organisations.
Independent media outlets have been reporting an escalation of actions by Belarusian services and police since the end of October. The Nasha Niwa portal noted that "another wave of mass detentions began on 31st October and continues to this day."
Commentators and human rights defenders associate the increased activity of security services with the presidential elections scheduled for 26th January 2025. They believe that the authorities' aim is "pre-election intimidation" of society and a demonstration of the security services' strength.
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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 is not recognised by the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and countries belonging to the European Union. Lukashenko works closely with Vladimir Putin's Russia, which governs in a similarly authoritarian manner.
Following the rigged elections in 2020, which were not recognised by Western countries, repressions against the opposition have continued in Belarus. The democratic opposition, forced into exile, has labelled 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.
