Belarus Review by iSANS — July 22, 2024 

Belarus Review by iSANS — July 22, 2024
Photo: motolko.help
  1. MILITARY DEVELOPMENTS
  2. POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS
  3. HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION AND INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE
  4. PROPAGANDA

MILITARY DEVELOPMENTS

Belarus Review (2024 edition, issue 28)

A weekly update on the ongoing political crisis in the Republic of Belarus was prepared for you by the International Strategic Action Network for Security (iSANS).

During the last week, Russian Shahed-136/131 drones continued to fly into Belarus. On the night of July 16, a drone flew into Belarus from Ukraine. Shahed-136/131 spent about 50 minutes on the territory of Belarus, after which it returned to the territory of Ukraine.

On the morning of July 16, another Russian Shahed-136/131 entered the territory of Belarus from the Zhytomyr region(Ukraine). Later, the drone flew to Mahilou; an emergency warning system was activated in the city. A Mi-8 helicopter of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, the Mi-24 helicopter, and the Su-30SM fighter jet of the Air Force of Belarus were involved in the search and interception of the Shahed-136/131. Later, the drone crashed on the territory of Oktyabrsky district (Homel region), 120 km away from the border with Ukraine. It is known that an explosion occurred during its fall. Thus, of the four Shahed-136/131 drones that arrived in Belarus from July 11 to 16, one fell in Belarus, two flew to the territory of Ukraine, and the fate of another one is unknown.

Information about the flight of Shahed-136/131 on July 16 in the Mahilou region was indirectly confirmed by the Regional Department of the Ministry of Emergency Situations. There were no other comments about the drone arrivals from representatives of the Belarusian state bodies. It is important to note that on the night of July 18, an Air Force fighter was on duty in the airspace of the Homel region during another Russian attack on Ukraine. No arrivals of Shahed-136/131 drones to Belarus were recorded that night. The on-duty forces of the Air Force of Belarus began to proactively patrol the airspace to control flying Russian drones.

On July 17, appointments were made to the command of the Ministry of Defense and the Armed Forces. Major General Aliaksandr Navumienka was appointed Deputy Minister of Defense. Andrey Zhuk, who previously held this position, retired due to the age limit. Instead of Aliaksandr Navumienka, who previously held the position of Commander of the Northwestern Operational Command of the Armed Forces, Aliaksandr Bas was appointed. Previously he headed the Main Directorate of Combat Training of the Armed Forces of Belarus.

International special tactical exercises “Peak of Brotherhood – 2024” were held on the territory of Kazakhstan. The military personnel of Belarus and Kazakhstan took part in the exercises. The joint reconnaissance units of the countries marched through the mountainous desert area. During the march, the scouts discovered and destroyed a conditional factory producing improvised explosive devices and a base for an illegal armed group. On July 19, the final working out of a tactical episode within the framework of the exercises took place. The servicemen ambushed a convoy of enemy equipment.

The joint anti-terrorist training of Belarus and China “Attacking Falcon-2024” at the Brest training ground came to completion last week. The military personnel of the two countries took part in the working out of tactical episodes for the search and destruction of conditional sabotage and reconnaissance groups. During the working out, armored vehicles and transport aircraft were widely used, and forces and means of unmanned aircraft and artillery were involved. On July 17, the active phase of the training began. Both Belarusian and Chinese air search assault groups have worked out the search for the base camp of a conditional terrorist organization. On July 18, a practical action of the working out took place. During the live-fire stage, the military personnel of the joint unit completed the task of repelling attacks by an illegal armed group attempting to capture a facility, as well as the task of eliminating militants in buildings.

On July 17, at the Brest training ground, a meeting was held between the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Belarus Paviel Muraviejka, and the Deputy Chief of the Chinese Staff of the Сorps, Senior Colonel LyuChzhen’. The military observed the active phase of the “Attacking Falcon-2024” training. Commenting on the results of the training, Paviel Muraviejka stated that “the relations of the Armed Forces of Belarus with the People’s Liberation Army of China are strategic, I would say, of the nature of “iron friendship”. According to him, joint anti-terrorist trainings were conducted in 2011 and 2015 (on the territory of Belarus), and in 2012 and 2018 – on the territory of China. The break in training was due to the coronavirus epidemic. According to the Deputy Chief of Staff of the Corps, LyuChzhen’, “Through joint training, our two military departments will develop important capacities necessary to preserve peace. I hope that joint training will continue in the future.”

The repair of the runway has begun at the Machulishchi airfield. According to satellite images, work began on July 16. During the repair, it is planned to replace the coating on about 150 meters of the airfield runway. In total, from 2021 to 2024, a runway covering 510 meters will have been replaced. The entire runway length of the airfield is 3,000 meters.

POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS

On July 16, Ukraine warned Belarus about the repercussions of signing agreements with the Russian “authorities” in Crimea emphasizing that this would be a symbol of recognition of Russia’s annexation of the Ukrainian peninsula.  First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Andrii Sybiha, stated that the Ukrainian side is aware of at least seven agreements concluded between Belarusian cities and provinces and the “authorities” in Crimea. According to the diplomat, in June, the city of Vitsebsk and Vitsebsk Oblast reached “agreements” with the Russian so-called authorities of the Ukrainian Crimean cities of Simferopol and Feodosia, as well as the “council of ministers” and the “ministry of culture and tourism” of Crimea and the Saki district of the peninsula. A protocol of intent was also signed to establish a free economic zone in Vitsebsk. Sybiha underlined that “all information about illegal actions that threaten Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity are well documented by the <…> state’s law enforcement authorities”,and those involved will be held accountable.

On July 16, Latvia’s State Revenue Service stated that passenger cars registered in Belarus will be barred from entering the European Union through crossing points along the Baltic state’s borders with Belarus and Russia. The move is reportedly being taken following EU laws to prevent the circumvention of EU sanctions imposed on Russia and Belarus over Moscow’s full-scale aggression against Ukraine. The entry ban is not applicable for vehicles of diplomatic and consular representations. Persons entering Latvia with a vehicle registered in Belarus will be turned around and instructed to return to the country, from which a person is entering Latvia. According to the information of Motolkohelp, a similar ban was imposed in Estonia a week ago. Estonia banned cars with Belarusian registration from entering through the Estonian-Russian border. Against this background, the Latvian Foreign Ministry issued an official statement explaining the reasons for such a prohibition and referring to the 8th EU sanctions package against Belarus, which came into force on July 1. The statement reads that “Belarus has been widely used to circumvent EU sanctions imposed against Russia thus helping Russia to continue imports of sanctioned goods through Belarus. In circumvention of EU sanctions, cars from the EU were imported to Russia, and brought from Russia to Europe via Belarus”. Latvian MFA claims that despite the imposed ban and current restrictions affecting also Belarusian individuals, “Latvia stands up for, and will continue to support and provide the necessary assistance to Belarusian civil society and democratic forces, including by applying the instruments provided for in laws and regulations to address specific exceptional situations”. The United Transitional Cabinet of the Belarusian democratic forces (UTC) issued an official statement in reaction to restrictions adopted by Latvia. The statement reads that the UTC supports restrictions imposed to prevent circumvention of sanctions and decrease Russia’s military capabilities to continue its war of aggression against Ukraine. The members of the UTC noted that they “understand that the root cause of such measures are the actions of the Lukashenka regime, as a result of which real security threats are created for Latvia and the EU through an artificial migration crisis at the border, as well as other unfriendly actions”. Moreover, the statement indicates that the cabinet fully shares the position of the EU of maintaining people-to-people contacts and considers it inexpedient to limit the mobility of Belarusians. The cabinet confirmed it holds consultations with the governments of Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland in this regard.

Following Latvia’s decision to ban Belarus-registered vehicles from entering Latvia, Lithuania imposed similar restrictions as of July 18. This way Lithuania is implementing the newest EU sanctions imposed against Belarus targeting to close routes for circumvention of sanctions imposed against Russia for its war of aggression against Ukraine. The exemption from the ban is valid for cars that are not designated for sale and belong to Belarusian citizens having a valid visa, and temporary or permanent residence permits in Lithuania and is owner and driver of the vehicle. This exemption is only applicable until August 16, 2024. The exemption does not apply to cars owned by legal persons or companies or used for commercial purposes. All Belarusian-registered vehicles must leave the territory of the EU until January 18, 2025.

On July 17, Lukashenka’s government decided to introduce a 90-day-visa-free regime for citizens of 35 European countries in a sign that Minsk may be keen to ease tensions with the West. Under the new policy, citizens of the 35 listed nations, which include Germany, Britain, and France, among others, will be able to enter Belarus without a visa and stay for up to 90 days per year. Currently, travelers from these countries can only remain in Belarus for 30 days and must fly in via Minsk airport. The new policy came into force on July 19, according to the official sources.

The leader of the Belarusian democratic forces Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya participated as a special guest in the European Political Community Summit held on July 18 in the United Kingdom upon the invitation from the new UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. During the Summit, the Belarusian leader met with leaders from countries such as the United Kingdom, Germany, Ukraine, Finland, Italy, Spain, Moldova, Lithuania, Estonia, Croatia, Denmark, the Netherlands, Greece, Slovenia, Kosovo, Czechia, Armenia, Iceland, as well as the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, the President of the European Council, and the High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. Discussions covered issues of supporting the Belarusians, supporting civil society and media, liberating political prisoners, preserving the independence of the country, challenges to regional security, the European perspective on Belarus, the situation at the border, , and particularly, the issue of border closure for Belarusian vehicles by EU countries. The Head of the United Transitional Cabinet thanked German Chancellor Olaf Scholz for Germany’s generous assistance to Belarusians and “efforts to help those forced into exile by the regime”. With the Polish leadership, Tsikhanouskaya discussed ways to secure the release of political prisoners, including Andrzej Poczobut, the situation at the border, as well as support for Belarusian civil society and media. She prioritized the issue of EU countries closing their borders to Belarusian vehicles during her discussions with Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda, calling for finding solutions to this problem, including potential easing of restrictions imposed by the EU. In a meeting with the Latvian Prime Minister, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya also raised the question of recent restrictions and stated that they “primarily affect Belarusians, not the regime”. During the Summit, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with the President of France Emmanuel Macron. Their discussion focused on support for political prisoners in Belarus and efforts to achieve their release. Tsikhanouskaya urged Macron to focus on this issue and help free those political prisoners whose situation is becoming increasingly critical. The Belarusian leader also informed the French President about the political situation in Belarus and emphasized that the Lukashenka regime and Russia continue to involve Belarus in the war against Ukraine. With the new leadership of the United Kingdom, Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and Foreign Minister David Lammy, the Belarusian leader discussed the political situation in Belarus. She stressed the need to secure the release of political prisoners and support their families, as well as assist civil society and the media. The parties also discussed potential ways to formalize the relations between the UK and the Belarusian democratic forces, joint international initiatives, possible bilateral consultations, and other forms of cooperation between the UK and the democratic forces.
On July 20, while the Lukashenka regime celebrated the 30th anniversary of his rule, the Belarusian democratic society called it a “dark anniversary”. On this occasion, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya invited the public to an exhibition by Arthur Vakarov showing the 30 years of Belarus under Lukashenka in 30 posters. In a statement, Tsikhanouskaya said: “We are witnessing a worldwide resurgence of populist and authoritarian ideas. In this context, the situation in Belarus only confirms the alarming trend: indifference and trust in propaganda lead to catastrophic consequences. Dear Europeans! Look at Belarusians: We are living witnesses to how easy it is to elect a dictator – and how difficult and costly it is to get rid of one”. The exhibition will start with an opening ceremony on July 24 at the Museum of Occupation and Freedom Struggle in Vilnius.

HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION AND INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE

The relatives of political prisoner Palina Sharenda-Panasiuk received an official response from the administration of the women’s colony N 24, which stated that she was diagnosed with “chronic pancreatitis of moderate severity.” Currently, she is in the Homel pre-trial detention center, waiting for her third trial for “malicious disobedience to the demands of the colony administration.” Chronic pancreatitis of moderate severity is a dangerous disease. “In the conditions that Polina is in, it’s like a death sentence. With such a disease, a special diet and treatment are required, any stress is contraindicated, and good conditions and prolonged medical supervision are mandatory. Polina is deprived of all this”, commented her husband Andrei Sharenda.

On July 17, a third trial of political prisoner Zmitser Dashkevich began in Minsk. He is being tried again on the same charges that he had already been convicted of, “gross violation of public order”. The activist and his wife Nasta Dashkevich were accused of participating in a protest on August 23, 2020. On July 14, 2022, Zmitser Dashkevich was sentenced to one and a half years of imprisonment, his wife was sentenced to three years of “home chemistry” (restriction of freedom with referral to an open-type correctional institution). On July 11, 2023, Zmitser was supposed to be released, but a new criminal case was opened against him for “malicious disobedience to the requirements of the colony administration.” He was sentenced to another year in a high-security colony.

Tatsiana Frantskevich, the mother of political prisoner anarchist Aliaksandr Frantskevich, and her sister Natallia Labatsevich were detained in Vaukavysk. They came to the Vaukavysk colony with a parcel for Aliaksandr. The reasons for the detention are unknown. In 2022, Aliaksandr Frantskevich was sentenced to 16 years and nine months of imprisonment in a high-security colony.

The Chair of the Supreme Court, Valiantsin Sukala, announced the possible pardon of some political prisoners, who were convicted of participating in the 2020 protests. “Some more pardoning is being prepared. But it is the decision of the head of state. It is strictly individual,” Sukala said, adding that 14 persons from among those who took part in the 2020 protests have already been pardoned and have been released. He added that the condition for a pardon is the absence of other “serious crimes.” According to human rights defenders, 18 political prisoners have been pardoned and released in early July. The total number of political prisoners in Belarus is currently around 1,400.

On July 18, the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention made public its Opinion N 3/2024, in which it found that the detention of Nobel prize laureate Ales Bialiatski violates international law. The UN mechanism urged that “the appropriate remedy would be to release him immediately and accord him an enforceable right to compensation and other reparations, following international law.” It has now been more than three years since he was arrested on July 14, 2021, along with his colleagues from  “Viasna”, FIDH Vice President Valiantsin Stefanovic and “Viasna” Human Rights Center lawyer Uladzimir Labkovich. Ales Bialiatski is one of the leading voices for democracy and human rights in Belarus. He is a renowned human rights defender and founder of “Viasna”, a leading human rights organization in Belarus. Over several decades, he has led the organization’s efforts to develop civil society in Belarus, defend human rights, oppose authoritarianism, and document cases of arbitrary detention and torture. He was arrested in 2011 and convicted of fabricated charges designed to stop him and the vital work of “Viasna”. He was released in 2014 and continued to face threats and intimidation. In recognition of his human rights work, Bialiatski was awarded, among many other honors, the first ever Václav Havel Human Rights Prize by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, the 2020 Sakharov Prize by the European Parliament, and the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize. On July 14, 2021, Bialiatski was arrested for alleged tax evasion. His pretrial detention was extended at least eight times before his tax evasion charge was dropped, and he was then charged with smuggling and financing group actions grossly violating public order. Following a pre-trial and trial process involving grave due process violations, he was found guilty on March 3, 2023, and sentenced to ten years of imprisonment. The Working Group found Bialiatski’s detention to be arbitrary for several reasons. First, “by failing to address specific facts or to consider alternative preventive measures and by relying essentially on the gravity of the charges, the authorities failed to properly justify his pretrial detention, which lasted approximately two years.” Additionally, at hearings in the case against him, he was denied the right to be physically present. Second, “the basis for his arrest and subsequent detention was his exercise of freedom of expression and freedom of assembly.” Third, he “was not tried by an independent and impartial tribunal”. In these proceedings, he was “deprived of effective legal representation.” The Working Group also concluded that Bialiatski’s right to the presumption of innocence was violated both by statements made by key government officials and by the fact that he was forced to sit in a metal cage during the trial, which may have biased the judges by portraying Bialiatski as “significantly dangerous and warranting such stringent physical confinement.” The Working Group also concluded that he was denied the right to communicate with and be visited by his family. Ultimately, the Working Group noted a “clear pattern of attitude displayed by the authorities towards Bialiatski based on his political opinion and his acting as a human rights defender.” The Working Group noted that his arbitrary arrest and detention must be viewed against the wider backdrop of repression in Belarus, where “government critics, civil society activists, and human rights defenders” are regularly intimidated and arbitrarily detained.

At a meeting with the permanent representative of Belarus to the UN Valiantsin Rybakou, Aliaksandr Lukashenka said that on July 4, during his meeting with UN Secretary-General António Guterres on the margins of the SCO summit in Astana, “no claims were made against the Belarusian side.” However, «some media outlets, especially on the Internet, interpreted it differently.” At the same time, the press service of the UN Secretary-General issued a statement concerning the meeting, which noted that ”the Secretary-General expressed concern about the human rights situation in Belarus. He conveyed the wish that yesterday’s amnesty is a step towards full respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in Belarus.”

Interpol has excluded Andrei Gnet, Belarusian film director and journalist, from its “red list”. In its e-mail to the EU delegation in Serbia, Interpol said that there were no grounds for keeping him in the database. It also recognized the political background of Gnet’s case. The letter noted that the presence of Gnet on the “red list” contradicts Articles 2 and 3 of its Statute. The letter was forwarded to Andrei Gnet and his lawyer. Andrei Gnet is currently under house arrest in Serbia after having spent several months in a detention center. On June 13, he filed an appeal to the Court of Appeals against the decision of the Supreme Court of Serbia on his extradition. It is not yet known when the hearing will be scheduled. Andrei Gnet was detained in Serbia in October 2023 at the request of the Belarusian authorities, who put him on the Interpol wanted list. He was accused of tax evasion.

The German Foreign Ministry confirmed on Friday, July 19, that a German citizen and an employee of the German Red Cross, Rico Krieger, was sentenced to death in Belarus on June 21. Belarus is the only European country where the death penalty is still applied. Over the past ten years, between one and four death sentences have been carried out annually in the country. According to available information, Rico Krieger was accused of illegal actions concerning firearms, disrepair of transport or communication routes, creation or participation in an extremist formation, agent activities, mercenary activity, and acts of terrorism. It is unknown whether the verdict has entered into force, as well as whether it has been appealed or protested. According to information of human rights defenders, the case of the military doctor concerns his alleged participation in the Kalinouski regiment which the latter has denied. The German Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the German Embassy in Minsk provide consular services to the victim and actively represent his interests before the Belarusian authorities. The German Foreign Ministry emphasized that “the death penalty is a cruel and inhuman form of punishment, which is rejected by Germany under any circumstances.” “We are seeking worldwide its cancellation and refusal to enforce it against all victims,” the ministry said in a statement. Belarus is in contact with Germany on the issue of the death sentence of Rico Krieger, and has offered Germany “concrete solutions,” a spokesman for the Belarusian Foreign Ministry said. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Legal Advisor Leanid Marozau issued a statement reacting to the death sentence given to Rico Krieger by saying: “Unfortunately, the Lukashenka regime continues to use execution as a form of punishment. In a civilized society, such treatment is unacceptable”. He regretted that obviously, the “value of human life means nothing to this system”. Marozau expressed hope that through joint efforts, democratic countries can save the life of a person accused of serious crimes on dubious grounds.

PROPAGANDA

On July 15, Acting Chargé d’Affaires of Belarus to the U.S. Pavel Shydlouski stated that now the U.S.-Belarus relations “are put on hold”. He said Belarus is ready for “constructive cooperation” with the USA but noted that “due to sanctions it is difficult to realize the potential of cooperation”. Shydlouski said that Belarus would like to “extend a hand of friendship” and noted that the government remains in contact with those “forces in the U.S.”, that “act for achieving peace in Eastern European region and support peacemaking attempts of the President of Belarus”.

During the period under review, propagandists continued to comment on the actions taken by the Polish authorities to resolve the migration crisis provoked by the Lukashenka regime. On July 15, Belarusian Foreign Minister Maksim Ryzhankou said that Belarus was ready for a dialogue with Poland.  According to him, Lukashenka offered to receive a delegation of Polish experts and specialists to “look at the situation on the border together”. At the same time, the minister criticized Poland: “The ball is on the Polish side. We are ready for dialogue, and the President is set on it. However, the Polish side is not very interested in resolving this issue. And, probably, it plans to continue escalating tension on the border”. Ryzhankou believes that the decision of the Polish authorities to allocate funds to strengthen the border will benefit corrupt officials: “As our President likes to say: when such a huge amount of money is allocated, it is unclear for what purpose, then wait for the next corruption scandals”. After two days, on air of the program “Markau. Nothing Personal” on the TV channel ONT, the minister accused Poland of “the blackmail concerning Chinese products” and acting contrary to the EU interests: “Difficulties with cargo flows are a serious problem for companies in the EU and Chinese partners. And here they decided to make everyone a hostage”.

At the ceremony honoring graduates of higher military schools and senior officers on July 16, Aliaksandr Lukashenka promised to provide the military with a “strong rear for the next two years”. In his speech, he drew parallels between the beginning of World War II and the current situation: “We need to withstand, not to allow the enemies to drag Belarus into a military conflict. And we are doing everything necessary for this, including the deployment of the most terrible nuclear weapons. We are reproached for the escalation and aggravation of the situation. We are ensuring our military security and strengthening the defense capabilities of the state. And we will not allow a repetition of the tragedy of ’41.” According to Lukashenka, Belarusians don’t want war, but “any provocation should be answered decisively and harshly. Lukashenka said that in the western and northwestern direction, it is necessary to “keep the powder dry” because neighboring countries do not engage in dialogue with him: “We will go to war only when someone else’s boot steps on our land. We will do everything diplomatically to settle our relations, first with our neighbors. In the same way, we propose to settle our relations with Poland and Lithuania. But so far, we do not see reciprocity”.

On July 17, Minsk imposed visa-free travel for citizens of 35 European countries. Foreign Minister Ryzhankou commented on it: “When our nearest neighbors close themselves off and make all kinds of obstacles for the development of cross-border cooperation between people, which from my point of view is a gross violation of all existing conventions within the OSCE, the Council of Europe, the EU, we, however, on the contrary, show our openness, our desire to show our country to the international community. Come, look, work with our people, do business, and make tourist trips”.

Receiving the Permanent Representative to the UN Valiantsin Rybakou with a report on July 18, Lukashenka said that UN Secretary-General António Guterres did not make any claims against him during the meeting on the margins of the SCO summit; according to Lukashenka, it was the opposite — Belarus “received a positive assessment”. In early July, the Belarus Review noted that Guterres expressed concern about the human rights situation in Belarus. Lukashenka also wished that the UN decisions would be fair for him: “And not as it happens now due to the policy pursued by the West, primarily by the U.S., using its dominant advantage in the economy and finances. That is why we are in favor of the UN. We will support all sensible initiatives that correspond to our understanding of a just world order, multipolarity in the world.”

On July 19, the Telegram Channel Motolkohelp informed that at the end of June, a German citizen Rico Krieger was sentenced to death penalty in Belarus. On July 20, propagandist Liudmila Hladkaya published a photo from the courtroom during the hearing on the case: “An exceptional measure. When the verdict on the case of terrorism, mercenaries, and agent activity was announced in the Minsk district court … the accused Krieger Rico turned pale and looked in bewilderment at the staff of the German consulate, the smirk disappeared from their faces, the face of the lawyer became red”. Hladkaya and some other propagandists disseminate information about Krieger’s affiliation to the Kalinouski regiment, whose main task is, according to them, “terrorist and other criminal activity, harming the national security of Belarus”.

On July 20, the head of Lukashenka’s administration Dzmitry Krutoy expressed an assumption that God sent Belarus a hurricane to please the Belarusian dictator: “…on July 19, our leader Aliaksandr Lukashenka asked why God sent Belarus such a test in the form of a hurricane. The answer is simple, perhaps, it’s for the President to rejoice that the system created by him for 30 years has survived, has withstood”. These words were quoted by SB. Belarus Segodnya, and then were removed, but they have been preserved in the cache. It is worth mentioning that on July 19, Lukashenka stated that Belarusian people shouldn’t criticize the government on the internet, but directly get engaged in liquidation of the hurricane damage. He also instructed to involve “fugitive” citizens, prisoners, and especially political prisoners in the work: “Mobilize the population. I already talked to the Minister of Interior, he’s joining, and he knows. We have over 20 thousand inmates and the so-called political prisoners. Over there, in the clearing! Help the country.”

On July 20 in Minsk, a “forum of patriotic forces” to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the immortal Lukashenka ruling in Belarus started. According to official information, there were eight thousand people, among them “representatives of leading public organizations and political parties with a constructive orientation”. The nature and peculiarities of this event also can imply the formation of Lukashenka’s cult of personality in the country. Head of the Council of Republic Natallia Kachanava used in her congratulatory address many praises for the dictator, among others “national leader”, “father of the nation”, and “outstanding politician of global importance, who has no equals today”.  Paralympian Aliaksei Talai, whose foundation is regularly bringing Ukrainian children to Belarus “for recuperation”, urged to grant Lukashenka the title of the Hero of Belarus: “I call on everyone to take this all-national decision. He deserved it a long time ago”.

Best regards,
iSANS team
22.07.2024

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