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Upcoming Belarus Election Cannot Be Credible In Current 'Repressive Environment,' Says Blinken

By RFE/RL January 18, 2025

The presidential election in Belarus later this month cannot be free or fair because of a "repressive environment" in the country, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on January 17 in a statement.

"The United States joins many of our European allies in assessing that elections cannot be credible in an environment where censorship is ubiquitous and independent media outlets no longer exist," Blinken said.

The presidential election is scheduled to take place on January 26, and authoritarian leader Alyaksandr Lukashenka, who has run the country since 1994, is expected to win.

The election will take place in an environment in which only regime-approved candidates can appear on the ballot and members of the opposition are either imprisoned or in exile, Blinken said.

The United States condemns the regime's attempts to "legitimize an election that cannot be free or fair," he added.

The State Department issued the statement after Belarusian state broadcaster ONT aired the fourth part in a series of a propaganda films called Svaboda Slova (Freedom of Speech), which featured interviews with jailed RFE/RL's journalists.

The presidential election in Belarus later this month cannot be free or fair because of a "repressive environment" in the country, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on January 17 in a statement.

"The United States joins many of our European allies in assessing that elections cannot be credible in an environment where censorship is ubiquitous and independent media outlets no longer exist," Blinken said.

The presidential election is scheduled to take place on January 26, and authoritarian leader Alyaksandr Lukashenka, who has run the country since 1994, is expected to win.

The election will take place in an environment in which only regime-approved candidates can appear on the ballot and members of the opposition are either imprisoned or in exile, Blinken said.

The United States condemns the regime's attempts to "legitimize an election that cannot be free or fair," he added.

The State Department issued the statement after Belarusian state broadcaster ONT aired the fourth part in a series of a propaganda films called Svaboda Slova (Freedom of Speech), which featured interviews with jailed RFE/RL's journalists.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/belarus-blinken-election- lukashenka-repressive-environment/33279722.html

Copyright (c) 2025. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.