The focus of international advocacy efforts lies in the release of political prisoners and the cessation of the incommunicado regime, as well as the establishment of an independent accountability mechanism to facilitate investigation by the OHCHR into the situation in Belarus and the renewal of the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on Belarus. // 22/03/2024 - 00:00
All stages of the electoral process were not just administratively controlled by the authorities, but were organized by them to retain power and simulate popular support and consensus in society. This is evidenced by: the lack of transparency in the formation of election commissions; the vertical of power controlling the lists of persons nominated and registered as candidates; campaigning which imitated political activity, while events and their media coverage were focused on general calls to come to vote; persistent forcing of voters to participate in early voting; a climate of intimidation with bans on taking photos and taking away ballots, rhetoric about "extremist plans" and police officers at all polling stations; an opaque procedure for counting votes; the complete absence of independent observers. // 5/03/2024 - 00:00
