Belarus Election is Illegitimate, Boycott the Vote: Opposition Leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya

Belarus Election is Illegitimate, Boycott the Vote: Opposition Leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya

Ottawa– Exiled Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya has called on citizens to boycott the upcoming elections scheduled for January, describing the process as illegitimate. However, she has advised citizens to refrain from engaging in public protests.

Tsikhanouskaya referred to the election as a "formal procedure" designed to falsely legitimize the rule of President Alexander Lukashenko.

The announcement comes in the context of the controversial 2020 elections, which sparked unprecedented protests across Belarus. Lukashenko was accused of rigging the election, leading to a crackdown by authorities. Human rights organizations report that approximately 30,000 people were detained during the protests.

The opposition leader now urges citizens to focus on strategic resistance rather than direct demonstrations against Lukashenko’s regime.