US expresses concern over human rights violations in Belarus after August election

The United States is "extremely concerned" about the human rights violations in Belarus following the August 9 election that saw authoritarian leader Alexander Lukashenko emerge as the winner. A senior Trump administration official reportedly said that the country remains concerned about the development that has been taking place in Belarus, particularly talking about the reports of opposition leaders being targeted by the State-run machinery. 

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There are reports in the media that opposition leaders and activists in Belarus are being threatened, forcibly expelled, or in some cases are also being abducted in an attempt to crush any dissenting voices against Lukashenko. After the authorities on August 10 announced the election result in Belarus, Lukashenko emerged as the clear winner with over 80 per cent of votes. However, opposition leaders were quick to denounce the poll result as rigged in favour of Lukashenko following which a large number of people took to the streets to protest against the government. 

Read: EU To Impose Economic Sanctions On 31 Belarus Senior Officials Over Recent Election

Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, the main challenger of Lukashenko in the poll, fled the country to neighbouring Lithuania after the result was announced, citing threats on her life. Tikhanoskaya recently urged the United Nations to use all mechanisms possible to halt the crackdown on protesters by the police. She also urged the global organisation to issue sanctions on individuals and officials working closely with Lukashenko.  

Read: Belarus Activists Go Missing, Colleagues Fear Detention

International condemnation 

Lukashenko has also received widespread condemnation from the international community for pressing down on demonstrators using force. The European Union urged Lukashenko to respect the basic human rights of Belarusians, while the United States accused the election was not fair and free. Meanwhile, Lukashenko, who is also known as the last dictator of Europe, managed to gather support from a few countries, including Russia, who has reportedly assured the country of providing security assistance in case of any external threat. 

Read: Belarus Opposition Leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya Urges UN To Halt Crackdown On Protestors