{"id":122870,"date":"2025-01-22T20:54:52","date_gmt":"2025-01-22T17:54:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/122870\/"},"modified":"2026-02-24T20:40:57","modified_gmt":"2026-02-24T20:40:57","slug":"belarusians-denied-right-to-free-and-fair-elections-pace-rapporteur","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/122870\/","title":{"rendered":"Belarusians denied right to free and fair elections \u2013 PACE rapporteur"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n (Minsk-Novosti)<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

January 22, Pozirk.<\/em><\/strong> The Belarusian government denies the people the right to participate in free and fair elections, said Ryszard Petru, general rapporteur for a democratic Belarus at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The politician called the ongoing election campaign a sham.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“The widespread repression by the \u0141uka\u0161enka regime that led to the arbitrary detention of tens of thousands of peaceful protesters after the fraudulent elections of 2020 has only continued to this day in blatant disregard of international law and democratic norms,” the PACE press office quoted<\/a> him as saying.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Petru pointed out that more than 1,200 political prisoners remain in detention, that opposition political parties and trade unions have been dismantled, and that their leaders endure reprisals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to the rapporteur, up to 500,000 Belarusians live in exile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The election “cannot and will not meet international recognized standards of fairness and legitimacy” in such repressive conditions, he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He expressed solidarity and commitment “to supporting the Belarusian democratic forces led by \u015aviat\u0142ana Cichano\u016dskaja in pursuit of a democratic future in an independent, sovereign, peaceful and prosperous Belarus.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lawmakers scheduled the seventh presidential election for January 21\u201326. The Belarusian pro-democracy forces have also dismissed it as a sham.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Cichano\u016dskaja, PACE rapporteurs discuss new resolution on Belarus<\/h3>\n
January 7, Pozirk. Work on a new resolution on Belarus and the participation of Belarusian pro-democracy delegates in Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) meetings during the January 27\u201331 session in Strasbourg were discussed between \u015aviat\u0142ana Cichano\u016dskaja and …<\/div>\n \n