In the professional community, this campaign was not called an election, but a Special Election Operation. By analogy with what the Russian leadership calls the war in Ukraine. Lukashenka conducted his own reappointment with complete disregard for competition, observation and campaigning for any representatives of alternative candidates. The spectacle of four spoiler candidates headed by the permanent head of the Belarusian vertical cannot be called an election. The level of terror that the state wages against civil society is impressive and I do not see any signs of any détente. Recent points of pardons, despite the joy for the people released from prisons, take place against the background of mass arrests and only convince that the state tries to create the appearance of some liberalization or thaw, but, in fact, it is only creating a good picture.
In the face of constant terror against civil society, we are forced to resort to increasingly sophisticated methods of securing contacts and activities. Internally, the state is trying to exercise total control over any public activity. And has succeeded in doing so. Even harmless activities designed to bring people together attract the close attention of the security services. The part of society disloyal to the state goes underground and narrows the range of permissible activities. However, despite acts of terror against society, civil activists are constantly looking for ways to work in these unfavorable conditions. A very important factor in this situation is the work of diaspora organizations, which are the voice and representatives of repressed civil society inside the country.
Today we have made great efforts to maintain channels of communication and to assist people and initiatives within Belarus. This is one of the focuses of our work. We also help re-socialization of those who were forced to leave the country, especially among released political prisoners. We put a lot of effort into helping those who have been caught by the state to evacuate the country. We support initiatives that continue to act in the public interest, both internally and externally. We help our veterans of the Russian-Ukrainian war. They are no longer combatants and, as victims of war, need help and treatment. We need assistance in legalizing victims of state terror in EU countries and in continuing to support civil society structures and humanitarian aid for those who have fallen victim to Lukashenko's dictatorial regime.
Would you like to learn more about civil societies under pressure? Read our interview with Aleh Razhkou, head of the Belarusian NGO ‘Journalists for Tolerance’ (J4T), now.
