Belarus is gearing up for a presidential election this January, with long-time leader Alexander Lukashenko—who has held power since 1994—expected to secure another term in what critics, including opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, call a sham election. Tsikhanouskaya referred to the upcoming vote as a “farce.”
Tsikhanouskaya entered the political arena in 2020 after her husband, a prominent opposition figure, was arrested and subsequently PLACEHOLDER35385802cef6f858 during the presidential campaign. That election sparked PLACEHOLDER0f6d757f77c4602e, threatening Lukashenko’s grip on power. However, the demonstrations were violently quashed in a crackdown backed by Russia, allowing Lukashenko to cling to his presidency.
Following the contested election, Tsikhanouskaya fled Belarus and has been living in exile in Lithuania. Despite her exile, she continues to advocate for democracy in Belarus.
“I believe in democracy, but you have to have courage to use all your tools to fight with dictators,” Tsikhanouskaya stated.













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