Latest Alexander Lukashenko News

A 22-year-old political prisoner has died in Belarus, rights campaigners say

Nov. 02, 2024 15:22 PM EDT

A 22-year-old political prisoner has died behind bars in Belarus, the country's oldest human rights group said Saturday. Russian-born Dmitriy Schletgauer, who had been serving a 12-year sentence for espionage and “facilitating extremist activities” is the seventh dissenter to...

A dissident film director from Belarus is released after 1 year of detention in Serbia

Nov. 01, 2024 09:22 AM EDT

BERLIN (AP) — A noted Belarusian film director and dissident who was held in Serbia for a year while Belarus sought his extradition has been released and gone to Germany. Andrei Hniot told The Associated Press that Serbian authorities released him from house arrest on Thursday,...

Belarus commission approves Lukashenko's 7th term bid but rejects opposition candidates

Oct. 29, 2024 21:07 PM EDT

TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — The national elections commission in Belarus on Tuesday registered an initiative group for authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko to seek a seventh term in office, but rejected the attempts of two opposition politicians to get on the ballot. The...

Belarus sets a Jan. 26 election that's almost certain to extend its authoritarian leader's rule

Oct. 23, 2024 09:20 AM EDT

TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — Lawmakers in Belarus on Wednesday set the next presidential election for Jan. 26, a vote almost certain to extend the three-decade rule of authoritarian leader Alexander Lukashenko, who has suppressed all political dissent. Exiled opposition leader Sviatlana...

Belarus arrests well-known analyst as crackdown on opposition continues

Oct. 22, 2024 13:52 PM EDT

TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — Police in Belarus have arrested a well-known political analyst who is the husband of an imprisoned journalist in the country's relentless crackdown on opposition to authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko. The Interior Ministry on Tuesday showed Ihar...

An independent journalist arrested on treason charges in Belarus

Oct. 17, 2024 10:14 AM EDT

TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — An independent journalist in Belarus has been arrested on charges of high treason, the latest move in a relentless crackdown on media and free speech by authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko's government, a media rights watchdog said Thursday. Danil...

Belarus adds 1 year to imprisoned opposition activist's sentence

Oct. 15, 2024 13:39 PM EDT

TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — A court in Belarus on Tuesday sentenced an imprisoned opponent of hardline President Alexander Lukashenko to an additional year behind bars for disobeying prison officials. Palina Sharenda-Panasyuk was arrested in 2021 during the crackdown on opposition that...

Imprisoned Belarus activist who was a symbol of defiance hasn't been heard from for months

Oct. 15, 2024 02:39 AM EDT

TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — The last time any of Maria Kolesnikova's family had contact with the imprisoned Belarusian opposition activist was more than 18 months ago. Fellow inmates at the penal colony reported hearing her plead for medical help from inside her tiny and smelly cell. ...

Authorities in Belarus open new criminal probes against scores of opposition activists

Oct. 08, 2024 13:28 PM EDT

TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — Belarusian authorities said Tuesday that they have launched new criminal investigations against dozens of opposition activists, part of a sweeping crackdown on dissent ahead of next year's presidential vote, in which the country's authoritarian President Alexander...

Belarusian-American has his prison sentence extended amid continuous crackdown on dissent in Belarus

Oct. 07, 2024 14:06 PM EDT

TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — A Belarusian-American has had his prison term extended to a total of 13 1/2 years in the latest move in a relentless crackdown on dissent by Belarus' repressive government, rights activists said Monday. Yuras Zyankovich, a lawyer who has dual Belarusian and...