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The President of Belarus signs a law on himself

2024-01-04 22:42:00, Kosova & Bota CNA
The President of Belarus signs a law on himself
The President of Belarus

Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko has signed a new law that gives him lifelong immunity from prosecution and bars opposition leaders living in exile from running in the upcoming presidential election, The Guardian reports.

The law theoretically applies to any former president and members of his or her family. In reality, it matters only to 69-year-old Lukashenko, who has ruled Belarus with an iron fist for nearly 30 years.

The new measure appears to be aimed at further strengthening Lukashenko's power and eliminating potential challengers in the country's next presidential election, which will take place in 2025.

The law significantly tightens the requirements for presidential candidates and makes it impossible to elect opposition leaders who have fled to neighboring countries in recent years. Only citizens of Belarus who have permanently resided in the country for at least 20 years and have never had a residence permit in another country are eligible to compete.

Belarus was rocked by mass protests during Lukashenko's controversial re-election in August 2020 to a sixth term, which the opposition and the West condemned as fraudulent. At that time, Belarusian authorities arrested more than 35,000 people, many of whom were tortured in custody or fled the country.

According to the text of the new law, Lukashenko, if he were to leave power, "cannot be held responsible for actions committed in connection with the exercise of his presidential powers."

The law also states that the president and members of his family will be provided lifelong state protection, medical care, and life and health insurance. Upon resignation, the president would also become a permanent member of the upper house of parliament.

The country's political opposition is demanding an investigation into the disappearances of opposition politicians and the removal of Ukrainian children from Ukraine./ CNA

 





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