Belarus Democratic Opposition Leader’s New Year Messages

Lukashenka has announced the date of his ‘reelection’ — January 26. It’s a sham with no real electoral process, conducted in an atmosphere of terror. No alternative candidates or observers will be allowed. We call on Belarusians and the international community to reject this farce.

Nobody is fooled by the regime’s sham elections.

Elections under a dictatorship are no elections at all. Lukashenka’s regime runs on repression & fear. We urge the world community to denounce this illegitimate farce & stand with the people of Belarus. Our nation deserves genuine, free & fair elections – not sham spectacles.

We cannot allow Belarus to become Putin’s consolation prize. Doing so only emboldens Russian imperialism. Belarus deserves freedom & self-determination. Any peace process for Ukraine must reject the status quo of repression in Belarus. We must build a Europe whole, free & at peace.

As 2024 ended, @viasna96 summarized the Belarus situation:

▪️1,265 political prisoners, including 168 women

▪️Over 1,700 political criminal convictions

▪️224 prisoners at grave risk, many with serious health conditions

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▪️At least 9 held incommunicado

▪️4 died behind bars in 2024

No child should suffer because their parents dream of freedom. Yet, thousands of children in Belarus are separated from their parents due to political repression.

Thank you, 🇺🇦 President @ZelenskyyUa, for your powerful call to support Belarusians defending freedom. Our fight for dignity and democracy unites us. Together, we prove that no dictator can break the spirit of those who believe in freedom.

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who watched my New Year’s address despite the dictator’s desperate attempts to restrict internet access & block @YouTube in Belarus during the broadcast. We reached 150,000 views already! Watch & share the full video: 

How the regime harassed people in exile in 2024

▪️Handing over Belarusians

▪️Trials in absentia

▪️Threats from the security forces

▪️Pressure on relatives in #Belarus

▪️Persecution for participation in marches abroad

▪️Various lists of “undesirables”

▪️Criminalization of communication with people abroad

▪️Documents-related pressure

The authorities seek to stifle any activity of people abroad and silence them.

Almost 300 people in Belarus have faced persecution this year for sending letters, parcels, or money to their politically imprisoned relatives or other Belarusians. All they wanted to do was help. The regime fears solidarity, but we must keep supporting political prisoners.

Assad’s downfall is a powerful message for Lukashenka: no one will come to save you when the inevitable end comes. Your puppet masters will abandon you when you’re no longer useful. The people of Belarus will have their moment, and we will be ready to lead our country to freedom.

Reprinted with permission from https://x.com/Tsihanouskaya