Seeking democracy for Belarus

The Eastern European country of Belarus is currently on the tipping point of a constitutional and social crisis. President Alexander Lukashenko claimed victory in the nation’s presidential election earlier this month. The results of this election have been widely contested by both international watchdog organizations and internal groups. Mr. Lukashenko has ruled Belarus with unprecedented –– and largely uncontested –– authoritarian power for the last 26 years. But now, this all looked poised to change.

What polls had slated as an incredibly close election was touted by the government and Mr. Lukashenko’s Communist party, Kamunistycnaja Partyja Bielarusi, as a landslide 80% victory. Citizens of Belarus initially gathered peacefully to protest these results, and opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya stated that she would meet with Mr. Lukashenko to discuss contesting the election results and peacefully transferring power. She has since fled Belarus for her life with her family.

In response to the social dismay at Mr. Lukasheno’s continued hold on power, large forces of riot police and military forces were deployed who assaulted protesters with rubber bullets, stun grenades, and batons. Thousands of peaceful protesters were detained and forced into crowded jail cells, including journalists covering the unfolding events.

Mr. Lukashenko is not a president, but rather a dictator attempting to shroud himself in a cloak of democracy. Mr. Lukashenko must step down and allow free, fair and open elections, and the U.S. must pass sanctions against the country until such an end is achieved if democracy is to be won for Belarus.

DEVIN THOMAS SLAUGENHAUPT Oakland