麻豆约拍

Parliamentary elections have been taking place in Belarus. However, hopes that this will lead to a change in government are limited as president Alexander Lukashenko has cracked down on the opposition for years. The exiled opposition leader, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, told Newsday that the vote was a ''farce''. It was ''the process of appointing new officials loyal to Lukashenko and for the first time there were no alternative candidates, no opposition was allowed to run.'' The elections she said took place ''in an atmosphere of fear, the authorities put military and police at every polling station and there was a massive wave of arrests''.
Photo shows Belarus opposition leader, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, in Rome on July 07, 2023. (Credit Andrea Ronchini Getty Images)

Edited by Chakuchanya Harawa