Lukashenko has been the president of Belarus for six consecutive terms since 1994 and seeks another five years in office. Yet, speaking in church Tuesday on Orthodox Christmas, he said he was “doing everything” to “calmly and quietly” pass on power to the next generation, pointing at the young children in attendance, state news agency BelTa reported.
Lukashenko’s claim is false.
During his 30 years in office, Lukashenko has abused and monopolized power by amending the constitution, jailing and exiling political rivals, destroying press freedom, repeatedly falsifying election results, and using the police and army to crush mass demonstrations against his rule. He is running uncontested in January elections for another five-year term.
In 1996, he initiated a referendum to amend the constitution, which removed the two-term limit for the presidency and transferred the bulk of authority from parliament to the president. Lukashenko used the referendum to postpone the 1999 presidential elections until 2001, which allowed him to remain in power for seven years instead of five.
In 2004, Lukashenko amended the constitution to eliminate presidential term limits altogether, allowing him to run indefinitely.
In 2022, he initiated another constitutional referendum, among other changes, reinstating the two-term limit. But the change will apply only to Belarusian presidents elected Jan. 26, 2025, and beyond. This latest amendment allows Lukashenko, 70, to remain in power for another 10 years until he is 80 years old.
The amendment also restricts Belarusian citizens from renewing their passports at embassies and consulates in foreign countries. Most Belarusians in exile are considered sympathizers of Lukashenko’s opposition. Without valid passports, they can’t vote in presidential elections.
None of the past six presidential elections in Belarus have been deemed free or fair. International observers, including the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, have accused Lukashenko of exploiting administrative powers to manipulate votes and ensure his victory.
In the 2020 presidential election, Lukashenko claimed an 80% victory, which was widely dismissed as fraudulent by domestic and international organizations because of widespread reports of electoral fraud, intimidation and manipulation. This led to mass protests, with millions of Belarusians calling for fair elections and Lukashenko’s resignation. Lukashenko used the police and armed forces to crack down on protesters.
Most Western governments, including the United States, did not recognize Lukashenko’s victory in 2020 or the legitimacy of his presidency and considered opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya the legitimate winner.
Following the 2020 election in Belarus, the European Union, the United States, Canada and other countries imposed sanctions on the Belarusian government and Lukashenko for election fraud and human rights abuses.
The country’s Central Election Commission has registered Lukashenko and four other candidates for the January 26 presidential elections. Held amid political crises and repressions, the elections are deemed unfree and undemocratic, with no registered opposition parties or independent organizations remaining in the country.
Lawyers for the Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections campaign say elections in Belarus no longer serve their intended purpose but are instead manipulated by the authoritarian regime to create an illusion of widespread support and legitimize its rule.
Some opposition groups in exile such as the Honest People said returning to Belarus is not an option and urged Belarusians to vote against everyone running in the upcoming elections.
Lukashenko responded on January 3 by claiming that there were no political prisoners in Belarus and accused opposition groups of influencing “the West” with “falsehoods.”
The Viasna Human Rights Centre considers at least 1,258 people currently in jail in Belarus as political prisoners. The organization has published a comprehensive database detailing the circumstances of each prisoner’s arrest and the charges brought against each one by the government.
In July 2024, the European Union estimated the number of political prisoners in Belarus at more than 1,400. As of May 2023, the U.S. State Department reported that the Lukashenko regime was unjustly holding over 1,500 political prisoners.
