Latest Alexander Lukashenko News

Belarus opposition and Western leaders reject election result that extends strongman's rule

Jan. 27, 2025 11:16 AM EST

Belarus' opposition activists and Western officials on Monday denounced an orchestrated election that extends the more than three-decade rule of authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko. The country's exiled opposition leader called the result “sheer nonsense.” The Central...

Belarus strongman wins a 7th term in an election the opposition calls a farce

Jan. 26, 2025 19:38 PM EST

The smiling face of President Alexander Lukashenko gazed out from campaign posters across Belarus on Sunday as the country held an orchestrated election virtually guaranteed to give the 70-year-old autocrat yet another term on top of his three decades in power. “Needed!” the...

Belarus frees American woman from detention as strongman leader looks to extend 30-year rule

Jan. 26, 2025 15:50 PM EST

Belarus has “unilaterally” freed an American woman from detention, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Sunday, as the Kremlin-allied country held an orchestrated election poised to give strongman President Alexander Lukashenko yet another term on top of his three decades in power. ...

EU rejects election in Belarus and threatens new sanctions

Jan. 26, 2025 10:54 AM EST

BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union rejected the election in Belarus on Sunday as illegitimate and threatened new sanctions. Belarus held an orchestrated vote virtually guaranteed to give 70-year-old autocratic President Alexander Lukashenko yet another term on top of his three...

Belarus votes in orchestrated election all but certain to extend the rule of authoritarian leader Alexander Lukashenko

Jan. 26, 2025 00:04 AM EST
TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — Belarus votes in orchestrated election all but certain to extend the rule of authoritarian leader Alexander Lukashenko.

Belarus election is poised to extend the 30-year rule of 'Europe's last dictator'

Jan. 24, 2025 09:19 AM EST

The last time Belarus staged a presidential election in 2020, authoritarian leader Alexander Lukashenko was declared the winner with 80% of the vote. That triggered cries of fraud, months of protests and a harsh crackdown with thousands of arrests. Not wanting to risk such unrest...

An imprisoned Nobel laureate underscores human rights abuses in Belarus

Jan. 19, 2025 00:55 AM EST

TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — The yellow name tag that Ales Bialiatski wears on his prison garb sets him apart from other inmates in Penal Colony No. 9 in eastern Belarus. It marks Bialiatski as a political prisoner to be singled out for harsh treatment. Because he's been labeled an...

Imprisoned Belarus activist resurfaces after being held incommunicado for over 700 days

Jan. 08, 2025 13:31 PM EST

TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — An imprisoned opposition activist in Belarus resurfaced Wednesday in a video shot by a pro-government blogger after over 700 days of no contact with his family, weeks before an election that is all but certain keep the country's strongman leader in power. ...

Catholic priest in Belarus sentenced to 11 years as crackdown on dissent continues

Dec. 30, 2024 11:35 AM EST

TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — A Catholic priest in Belarus on Monday was convicted on charges of high treason for criticizing the government and handed an 11-year sentence, in the first case of politically-driven charges against Catholic clergy since Belarus became independent in the 1991 collapse of...

Belarus' strongman leader pardons 20 more prisoners, but rights groups say repression continues

Dec. 28, 2024 13:50 PM EST

TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — Belarus’ authoritarian leader Alexander Lukashenko pardoned 20 more people that rights activists describe as political prisoners, a statement on the president's website said Saturday. The announcement came amid persistent oppression in the run-up to...