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Saudi Gazette
26-03-2025
- Politics
- Saudi Gazette
Lukashenko sworn in for seventh term as Belarus president
MINSK — Alexander Lukashenko has been sworn in for a seventh consecutive term as president of Belarus at a ceremony in the capital Minsk. During the ceremony, Lukashenko poked fun at those who call him 'Europe's last dictator' by claiming Belarus has more democracy "than those who cast themselves as its models." "Half of the world is dreaming about our 'dictatorship,' the dictatorship of real business and interests of our people," Lukashenko said in his inauguration speech at the Independence Palace. Lukashenko marked three decades in power last year and his political opponents have denounced the tightly orchestrated presidential election on 26 January as a farce. The Belarus Central Election Commission announced Lukashenko won almost 87% of the vote after a campaign in which four token challengers on the ballot all praised his rule. Opposition members have been imprisoned or exiled abroad by Lukashenko's crackdown on dissent and free speech. Months of massive protests that were unprecedented in the history of the country of nine million people followed the 2020 election and prompted the harsh crackdown. Over 65,000 people were arrested, thousands were beaten by police and independent media outlets and non-governmental organisations were closed and outlawed, bringing condemnation and sanctions from the West. Thousands of Lukashenko supporters attended Tuesday's inauguration ceremony, where he denounced his critics as foreign stooges who were at odds with the people. "You don't and won't have public support, you have no future," he declared. "We have more democracy than those who cast themselves as its models." Belarusian activists say the country holds more than 1,200 political prisoners, including Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ales Bialiatski, founder of the Viasna Human Rights Centre. "The election was held amid a deep human rights crisis, in the atmosphere of total fear caused by repressions against civil society, independent media, opposition and dissent," according to a statement released by Viasna and 10 other Belarusian human rights groups. They say Lukashenko's hold on power is illegitimate. Lukashenko has ruled Belarus since 1994, relying on subsidies and political support from Russian President Vladimir Putin, himself in office for a quarter-century, an alliance that helped the Belarusian leader survive the 2020 protests. Lukashenko allowed Moscow to use the country's territory to invade Ukraine in February 2022 and later hosted some of Russia's tactical nuclear weapons. Opposition leader-in-exile Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who fled Belarus under government pressure after running against Lukashenko in 2020, vowed to keep fighting for the country's freedom. "Our goal is to break away from the Russian occupation and Lukashenko's tyranny, and to return Belarus into the European family of nations," Tsikhanouskaya said in a speech at the Lithuanian parliament. Some observers say Lukashenko could now try to mend ties with the West. "Lukashenko already has been sending signals to the West about his readiness to start a dialogue and his desire to normalize ties in order to ease the total dependence on the Kremlin and soften Western sanctions during his seventh term," said Valery Karbalevich, an independent political analyst. — Euronews
Euronews
26-03-2025
- Politics
- Euronews
Lukashenko sworn in again as Belarus' president, tells critics 'You have no future'
ADVERTISEMENT Alexander Lukashenko has been sworn in for a seventh consecutive term as president of Belarus at a ceremony in the capital Minsk. During the ceremony, Lukashenko poked fun at those who call him 'Europe's last dictator' by claiming Belarus has more democracy "than those who cast themselves as its models." "Half of the world is dreaming about our 'dictatorship,' the dictatorship of real business and interests of our people," Lukashenko said in his inauguration speech at the Independence Palace. Lukashenko marked three decades in power last year and his political opponents have denounced the tightly orchestrated presidential election on 26 January as a farce. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko takes his oath of office during his inauguration ceremony at the Palace of the Independence in Minsk, 25 March, 2025 AP Photo The Belarus Central Election Commission announced Lukashenko won almost 87% of the vote after a campaign in which four token challengers on the ballot all praised his rule. Opposition members have been imprisoned or exiled abroad by Lukashenko's crackdown on dissent and free speech. Months of massive protests that were unprecedented in the history of the country of nine million people followed the 2020 election and prompted the harsh crackdown. Over 65,000 people were arrested, thousands were beaten by police and independent media outlets and non-governmental organisations were closed and outlawed, bringing condemnation and sanctions from the West. Thousands of Lukashenko supporters attended Tuesday's inauguration ceremony, where he denounced his critics as foreign stooges who were at odds with the people. Election commission workers prepare to count ballots for the presidential election at a polling station in Minsk, 26 January, 2025 AP Photo "You don't and won't have public support, you have no future," he declared. "We have more democracy than those who cast themselves as its models." Belarusian activists say the country holds more than 1,200 political prisoners, including Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ales Bialiatski, founder of the Viasna Human Rights Centre. "The election was held amid a deep human rights crisis, in the atmosphere of total fear caused by repressions against civil society, independent media, opposition and dissent," according to a statement released by Viasna and 10 other Belarusian human rights groups. They say Lukashenko's hold on power is illegitimate. Lukashenko has ruled Belarus since 1994, relying on subsidies and political support from Russian President Vladimir Putin, himself in office for a quarter-century, an alliance that helped the Belarusian leader survive the 2020 protests. Lukashenko allowed Moscow to use the country's territory to invade Ukraine in February 2022 and later hosted some of Russia's tactical nuclear weapons. ADVERTISEMENT Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya attends a celebration marking the anniversary of the declaration of independence of Belarus in Vilnius, 25 March, 2025 AP Photo Opposition leader-in-exile Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who fled Belarus under government pressure after running against Lukashenko in 2020, vowed to keep fighting for the country's freedom. "Our goal is to break away from the Russian occupation and Lukashenko's tyranny, and to return Belarus into the European family of nations," Tsikhanouskaya said in a speech at the Lithuanian parliament. Some observers say Lukashenko could now try to mend ties with the West. "Lukashenko already has been sending signals to the West about his readiness to start a dialogue and his desire to normalize ties in order to ease the total dependence on the Kremlin and soften Western sanctions during his seventh term," said Valery Karbalevich, an independent political analyst. ADVERTISEMENT
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Authoritarian leader of Belarus sworn for seventh term
Belarus' authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko has been sworn in for a seventh term, and he mocked those who derided him as 'Europe's last dictator' by saying his country has more democracy 'than those who cast themselves as its models'. 'Half of the world is dreaming about our 'dictatorship', the dictatorship of real business and interests of our people,' Mr Lukashenko, 70, said in his inauguration speech at the Independence Palace in the capital of Minsk. Hundreds of opposition supporters living abroad held anti-Lukashenko rallies on Tuesday to mark the anniversary of Belarus' short-lived independence in 1918 following the collapse of the Russian Empire. Mr Lukashenko marked three decades in power last year, and his political opponents have denounced the tightly orchestrated January 26 election as a farce. The Belarus Central Election Commission declared he won with nearly 87% of the vote after a campaign in which four token challengers on the ballot all praised his rule. Opposition members have been imprisoned or exiled abroad by Mr Lukashenko's unrelenting crackdown on dissent and free speech. Months of massive protests that were unprecedented in the history of the country of nine million people followed the 2020 election and brought on the harsh crackdown. More than 65,000 people were arrested, thousands were beaten by police and independent media outlets and non-governmental organisations were closed and outlawed, bringing condemnation and sanctions from the West. Thousands of Lukashenko supporters attended Tuesday's inauguration ceremony, where he denounced his critics as foreign stooges who were at odds with the people. 'You don't and won't have public support, you have no future,' he declared. 'We have more democracy than those who cast themselves as its models.' Belarusian activists say it holds more than 1,200 political prisoners, including Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ales Bialiatski, founder of the Viasna Human Rights Centre. 'The election was held amid a deep human rights crisis, in the atmosphere of total fear caused by repressions against civil society, independent media, opposition and dissent,' according to a statement released Tuesday by Viasna and 10 other Belarusian human rights groups. They said Mr Lukashenko's hold on power is illegitimate. Mr Lukashenko has ruled the country with an iron fist since 1994, relying on subsidies and political support from Russian President Vladimir Putin, himself in office for a quarter of a century, an alliance that helped the Belarusian leader survive the 2020 protests. Mr Lukashenko allowed Moscow to use the country's territory to invade Ukraine in February 2022 and later hosted some of Russia's tactical nuclear weapons. Opposition leader-in-exile Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who fled Belarus under government pressure after running against Mr Lukashenko in 2020, vowed to keep fighting for the country's freedom.
Euronews
18-03-2025
- Politics
- Euronews
Belarus sentences Japanese man to 7 years in jail for espionage
A court in Belarus has jailed a Japanese man for seven years for espionage after he was convicted of working on behalf of Japan's intelligence service. Masatoshi Nakanishi, who has been in custody in Belarus since his arrest in July, was accused of taking thousands of photos of military and civilian facilities in the Belarusian-Ukrainian border area from 2018 to 2024 and sharing them with Japanese intelligence. The Minsk City Court issued the sentence after a two-month trial that was held behind closed doors. Nakanishi was convicted of cooperating with a "special service, security and intelligence agency of a foreign state, involving actions knowingly aimed at harming the national security" of Belarus, the office of the country's prosecutor general said. He was ordered to pay a fine equivalent to around €6,130. Belarusian authorities had rejected a request by the Japanese embassy in Belarus to attend the proceedings. The embassy told Japanese media outlet NHK that Tokyo had been in contact with Minsk to demand Nakanishi's immediate release. Nakanishi had lived in Gomel, Belarus' second-largest city, since 2018. According to Belarusian state-controlled media, he taught Japanese at a local university. A 15-minute programme focusing on Nakanishi's alleged espionage entitled The Failure of a Samurai from Tokyo aired on state television last September. Japanese authorities criticised the programme at the time, saying that it infringed on Nakanishi's rights. Belarus' Viasna Human Rights Centre, an NGO, declared Nakanishi a political prisoner. The group says that Belarus now has more than 1,200 political prisoners in custody, among them 36 foreign citizens. Exiled Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya criticised the sentencing. "Like other political prisoners, he is being dehumanised by regime propaganda," she wrote in a post on X on Monday. Belarus' authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko, who has ruled the country with an iron fist for over 30 years while relying on subsidies and support from Russia, allowed the Russian military to use his country's territory to send troops into neighbouring Ukraine in 2022. Lukashenko also has allowed Russia to deploy some of its tactical nuclear weapons on Belarusian territory. Japan has placed sanctions on Russia and Belarus over Moscow's war in Ukraine. Chinese military drills near Taiwan have ramped up in recent days, according to the Taiwanese defence ministry, with China issuing a warning over support for the self-governing island's independence and Taipei accusing Beijing of being a "troublemaker". Taiwan's defence ministry on Tuesday said 43 Chinese drones and ships had entered the island's air defence identification zone but that no confrontations were reported. The ministry said it monitored the situation and deployed aircraft, navy ships and coastal anti-ship missile defences in response. Beijing launches such missions on a daily basis, seeking to wear down Taiwanese defences and morale, although the vast majority of the island's 23 million people reject its claim of sovereignty over Taiwan. Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said Monday that the drills were "a resolute response to foreign connivance and support for Taiwan independence, and a serious warning to Taiwan separatist forces." China's actions "are necessary, legal and justified measures to defend national sovereignty, security and territorial integrity," Mao added. Beijing also took issue with recent changes to the US Department of State's website, with Mao claiming that the removal of language reaffirming the One-China principle had sent the "wrong signals to Taiwan separatist forces". Taiwanese Defence Minister Wellington Koo told legislators the drills were further evidence China was a "troublemaker" endangering peace in the region. Last week, Taiwan's President William Lai Ching-te provoked Beijing's ire said that Taiwanese law designates mainland China as a "foreign hostile force". He also announced tighter measures to prevent Chinese subversion through media and civic exchanges, and warned of the danger of influential figures and current and retired military members selling secrets to China. The Taiwan Strait, one of the world's most critical shipping routes, remains a focal point of geopolitical tension. While China does not interfere with civilian vessels, it frequently objects to the presence of US and foreign warships in the region. On Saturday, China rejected accusations from G7 diplomats, who had criticised Beijing's aggressive maritime activities as a threat to regional stability. In a joint statement, the G7 condemned China's "illicit, provocative, coercive and dangerous actions" that it said aimed to change the status quo and threaten security. China dismissed the remarks, calling them "filled with arrogance, prejudice and malicious intentions". In response to the escalating military pressure from China, Taiwan has ordered new weaponry from the US, including missiles and aircraft, while strengthening its own defence industry. The island is developing new submarines and other key military assets to reinforce its security.
Washington Post
17-03-2025
- Politics
- Washington Post
A Japanese man handed 7-year sentence in Belarus on charges of working for Japanese intelligence
By The Associated Press — A Japanese man was convicted on charges of working for Japan's intelligence service and sentenced to seven years in prison on Monday by a court in Belarus. Masatoshi Nakanishi, who has been in custody since his arrest in July, was accused of taking pictures of military and civilian facilities for Japanese intelligence, inflicting damage to Belarus' national security. The Minsk City Court convicted and sentenced Nakanishi after a two-month trial that went on behind closed doors. He also was ordered to pay a fine equivalent to about $6,700. Belarusian authorities had rejected the Japanese Embassy's request to attend the proceedings. Belarus' Viasna Human Rights Centre declared Nakanishi a political prisoner. The group says that Belarus now has more than 1,200 political prisoners, including 36 foreign citizens. Nakanishi had lived in Gomel, Belarus' second-largest city, since 2018 and taught Japanese at a local university, according to Belarusian state-controlled media. Belarusian state TV has reported that Nakanishi took 9,000 photographs of military installations, airfields, railway lines, bridges and other infrastructure in the Belarusian-Ukrainian border area. Japanese authorities protested the TV report, saying it infringed on Nakanishi's rights. Belarus' authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko , who has ruled Belarus with an iron hand for over 30 years and has relied on Russia's subsidies and support, allowed Moscow to use his country's territory to send troops into neighboring Ukraine in 2022. Lukashenko also has allowed Russia to deploy some of its tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus.
