by Natalia Radzina, WLC member.
Source: Delfi
It’s hard to write about something that doesn’t exist. In Belarus, since 1994, when the dictator Lukashenko came to power, there has not been a single free and democratic electoral campaign. All elections, including presidential, parliamentary, and local elections, as well as referendums, have not been recognized by the international community, and their results have been massively falsified. Thus, the presidential elections in Belarus in 2025 cannot in any way be considered a genuine electoral campaign. Today, this can be compared to elections in a concentration camp: prisoners “elect” the camp commander under the barrels of armed guards’ guns.
After the brutal suppression of the popular protests in 2020, Belarus has been left without independent media, human rights organizations, civic groups, opposition political parties, or movements. For the fifth consecutive year, mass repressions have been carried out against citizens. Thousands of political prisoners are held in the country’s jails, their exact number unknown. Many are even afraid to report instances of repression to human rights defenders or journalists, who were forced to flee abroad and have now been labeled “extremists” by the Belarusian authorities.
The farce that Lukashenko is organizing cannot be called elections. It is a staged performance where the outcome has already been decided in advance, with the sole purpose of legitimizing the dictator’s continued rule. The entire state apparatus, including law enforcement, courts, and election commissions, is subordinated to the regime, ensuring complete control over the process.
In this atmosphere of fear and repression, where any dissent is ruthlessly punished, it is impossible to speak of free will or genuine participation by the citizens. The so-called elections in Belarus in 2025 are yet another attempt by the regime to create the illusion of legitimacy, while continuing its repressive policies both domestically and internationally.
