US condemns Belarus 'phoney' elections amid atmosphere of fear and repression
The main polling day in Belarus fell on Sunday. The so-called parliamentary elections and local authorities' voting took place, which were preceded by an early voting process. There was no opposition candidacy, independent observers were absent, and an atmosphere of oppression and strict vigilance by security structures dominated.
"The Lukashenka regime's phoney parliamentary and local elections, concluding on a Sunday, are condemned by the United States", read the statement issued by the US diplomatic affairs department.
US reaction to the Belarus elections
The US authorities highlighted that the regime in Belarus currently holds over 1400 political prisoners. As noted, all politically independent activists have been either incarcerated or deported.
"The rejection of all political party registrations was apparent. Belarusians residing abroad were only permitted to vote in Minsk, where they faced a high likelihood of repression," stated the US State Department. They added that such abuses have "halted any true political activity".
Emphasizing that the OSCE was not given an opportunity to observe the elections, the US State Department has repeated its appeal to the Belarusian authorities to put an end to the oppression, liberate the political prisoners, and initiate a dialogue with political opponents.
