{"id":120755,"date":"2025-01-06T20:31:08","date_gmt":"2025-01-06T17:31:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/120755\/"},"modified":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","slug":"opposition-leader-slams-electoral-campaign-as-farce","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/120755\/","title":{"rendered":"Opposition leader slams electoral campaign as farce"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n (\u015aviat\u0142ana Cichano\u016dskaja's press office)<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

January 6, Pozirk<\/em>.<\/strong> The most frightening aspect of the \u201cfarce that is called election\u201d in Belarus is that people are \u201caccustomed to the absurdity,\u201d Belarusian opposition leader \u015aviat\u0142ana Cichano\u016dskaja has said in a video address.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Belarusians \u201cdeserve justice and a life without fear,\u201d the politician said a few weeks ahead of Belarus\u2019 presidential election in which the longtime ruler Alaksandar Luka\u0161enka intends to run for his seventh term in office.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thousands flee Belarus fearing politically-motivated persecution, trying to save themselves, their families and their children, Cichano\u016dskaja said. \u201dThose who stay behind live in constant fear, under surveillance, pressure, fear of dismissal and reprisals,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBelarus is not the system, not the authorities and not their sham election. Belarus is all of us,\u201d she stressed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Belarus will hold its seventh presidential election from January 21 to 26, with the whole election cycle limited to just three months. The current campaign is taking place in a purged political landscape amid a new wave of crackdown on regime critics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The five bidders are Alaksandar \u0141uka\u0161enka, in power since 1994, his supporters Aleh Hajdukievi\u010d, Alaksandar Chi\u017eniak, Siarhiej Syranko\u016d as well as former MP Hanna Kanapackaja.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The country has not held a single free and fair election since 1996 by the standards of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. The previous 2020 presidential race was marred by police brutality against peaceful protesters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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