Belarusian election ‘falsified’

VIENNA: An investigation by the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) has concluded that the controversial election in Belarus should be annulled and repeated under international monitoring.

‘‘As a general conclusion there is overwhelming evidence that the presidential elections of 9 August 2020 have been falsified,’’ the OSCE argued in a report published in Vienna yesterday.

In September, 17 countries, including Britain, France and the US, triggered the OSCE’s socalled Moscow Mechanism for rights investigations.

Austrian human rights scholar Wolfgang Benedek was tasked with collecting information on election fraud, alleged persecution of civil society figures and protesters, as well as arbitrary arrests and torture.

‘‘Regarding the allegations related to major human rights abuses, they were found to be massive and systematic and proven beyond doubt,’’ Benedek concluded.

Benedek based his conclusions on more than 700 submissions from Belarusian citizens and groups, as well as reports from UN rights experts and nongovernmental rights organisations.

The government of President Alexander Lukashenko did not cooperate with the investigation and did not allow a visit.

Supporters of opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya allege voting was rigged to maintain Lukashenko’s grip on power.

The 17 countries that triggered the probe said the report confirmed their concerns.

‘‘The first step towards progress must be for the Belarusian authorities to cease their campaign of violence against peaceful protesters, release all those unjustly imprisoned and hold perpetrators to account,’’ they said. — DPA