The Downfall of Europe’s Last Dictator

Often referred to as Europe’s last dictatorship, the Republic of Belarus under the rule of President Alexander Lukashenko has retained hard authoritarian governance for the past 25 years. The combination of women’s rights suppression, his outrageous claims that vodka and saunas could prevent the coronavirus, and accusations of rigged elections proved to be his downfall. As a result, voters began considering other candidates and Sviatlana Tikhanovskaya (the main opposition leader) was deemed a powerful contender. Hence, in early August 2020, several protests and political demonstrations broke out after the incumbent was handed a sixth term in office by election officials. Tikhanovskaya then declared the creation of the Coordination Council, an organization open to any Belarusians who believed the official election results were falsified. Amid the outrage, authorities began blocking more than 50 news websites and shutting down internet access, ousting many international journalists and using lethal police force by shooting rubber bullets, firing stun grenades and beating and arresting demonstrators. On September 1st the United Nations Humans Rights Office had declared that there had been over 450 documented cases of torture and reports of rape and sexual abuse.

Despite widespread enmity, Lukashenko was inaugurated on September 26th in a secret ceremony. In response, the EU published a statement condemning the violence and repression of protestors and called for a re-election. Then on October 12th, The Coordination Council issued an ultimatum demanding the incumbent discontinue the suppression, release the detained individuals and step down from presidency by October 25 at midnight, threatening a mass walkout by workers if he did not comply. He ignored their demands and on October 26 more than 100,000 students, laborers, and retirees gathered in cities across the nation waving red and white flags and chanting “Go away!” and “New election!”

As Belarus continues to fight for their democracy and democratic freedoms, countries around the world can help support their cause by initiating a dialogue about the movement in Belarus, refusing to acknowledge Lukashenko’s presidency and donating to various organizations supporting victims on the ground.