Belarusian opposition activists are staging a march in Vilnius on Wednesday to mark the third anniversary of Belarus’ disputed presidential election that sparked mass protests in the country.
In the evening, participants will march from Cathedral Square to Belarus’ embassy on Mindaugo Street to show that people are not indifferent to what is happening in Lithuania’s neighbouring country, according to the organisers.
Mass protests erupted in Belarus after Alexander Lukashenko, the authoritarian leader who has ruled the country since 1994, was declared the winner of the August 9, 2020, presidential election.
Opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who challenged Lukashenko in the election, continues her political activity from Vilnius. She is expected to take part in Wednesday’s march.
The Belarusian opposition and EU countries do not recognise the 2020 election as free and fair.
Belarus’ authorities cracked down harshly on the protests, with more than 35,000 people detained by the police and thousands of protesters saying they were subjected to violence.
Most prominent opposition figures were imprisoned or forced to leave Belarus. Independent media outlets were searched and their journalists were arrested.
Condemnation from Baltics and Poland
Lukashenko’s regime must be held accountable for its crimes in the Ukraine war and against its own people, Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė said on Wednesday.
“3y ago Lukashenka stole elections & repressed peaceful protests. Now he holds ~1,5k political prisoners & is an accomplice in Russia’s war against Ukraine,” Šimonytė tweeted on the X social media platform.
“Belarus’ regime must face accountability for crimes against own people & war crimes in Ukraine – for the sake of #FreeBelarus & peaceful Europe,” she added.
The Baltic and Polish foreign ministers have also condemned “the massive internal repression” by the Lukashenko regime and its “complicity” in Russia’s war against Ukraine.
“We must remind ourselves that the struggle for freedom never ends. We believe in a democratic, independent and sovereign Belarus, as well as in Ukraine’s victory,” Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis said in a press release.
“The authoritarian regime must collapse, and Lukashenko and his accomplices must be held accountable,” he added.
The Lithuanian, Latvian, Estonian and Polish foreign ministers issued their joint statement on the third anniversary of the August 2020 election.
“Three years ago, on August 9, 2020, Alexander Lukashenko proclaimed himself the winner of the rigged presidential election, thereby trampling on the democratic aspirations and rights of the Belarusian people,” they said.
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