Early voting begins in Belarus’ presidential election
January 21, Pozirk. The central election commission has announced the start of early voting in the seventh presidential election in Belarus ahead of the main voting day on January 26.
Polling stations will be open from noon to 7 p.m. during the early voting period and from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday.
Authorities claimed a turnout of almost 5 percent on the first day of early voting at the previous presidential election in August 2020. That campaign was marred by fraud and police brutality against peaceful protesters.
The current race is taking place in a purged political landscape amid a new wave of crackdown on regime critics with only three months allocated for the whole election cycle.
The presidential bidders are Alaksandar Łukašenka, in power since 1994, his supporters Aleh Hajdukievič, Alaksandar Chižniak and Siarhiej Syrankoŭ. Another candidate is Hanna Kanapackaja, a former member of the United Civic Party and an MP from 2016 to 2019, who also ran for president in 2020. She positions herself as a “democratic alternative,” yet criticizes Łukašenka’s exiled or jailed opponents rather than himself.
Authorities seek flattering assessments from election observers, picked from Łukašenka-friendly organizations and pro-government parties. The government has banned independent observation.
The Belarusian opposition dismissed the election as a sham, noting that political reprisals prevent pro-democracy candidates from running and voters from freely expressing their will.
Belarus has not held a single free and fair election since 1996 by the standards of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).
Minsk invited OSCE observers late enough to make quality observation impossible.
Kanapackaja promises immunity for Łukašenka at TV debate
January 21, Pozirk. Former opposition MP Hanna Kanapackaja pledged to offer Alaksandar Łukašenka and his family security guarantees if elected president this week. The politician made the statement yesterday evening during TV debates of presidential hopefuls broadcast by the state-controlled …