Elections in Belarus 2015

New protests and brutal reprisals against protesters possible?

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The events similar to 2010 brutal postelection crackdown on peaceful protesters, beatings and mass arrests are still possible. This is what Ales Bialiatski, former political prisoner, chairman of the human rights center Viasna said.

You should not take seriously, as the signs of liberalization of the current regime, the conspicuous easing of the pressure on the opposition. For example, a picket in front of the KGB in support of political prisoners and disappeared politicians that took place without repercussions.

ALES BIALATSKI, HEAD OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS CENTER VIASNA:
“They are afraid of any unpredictable scenarios. And if such a scenario occurred, although in today’s circumstances, it looks unlikely that the authorities would not have stopped short of using violence and repression against demonstrators and protesters.”

Incidentally, the current presidential campaign is characterized by restraint statements of the opposition candidates regarding the appeals for protests. The likelihood of recurrence of the already traditional situation after the elections is doubted by both political experts and ordinary citizens.

RESIDENTS OF MAHILIOU:
“After we saw what happened on the Maidan, we decided to keep it all calm and quiet.”
“Now the protests are likely to originate not with the opposition, but rather with the population.”
“I think this time there will be nothing, because the situation is quite different, there is no support of Western countries.”

However, it is necessary to consider the protest moods of Belarusians that become stronger with the deterioration of the economic situation in the country.
According to sociological data of the Independent Institute of Socio-Economic and Political Studies published before the start of the election campaign – one in ten of the surveyed Belarusians called the street protests as the most realistic option for change in Belarus. However, it seems that the opposition would not risk using this wave once again.

LEU MARHOLIN, COORDINATOR OF ANATOL LYABEDZKA NOMINATING GROUP:
“We know very well how various protests, even peaceful, end in Belarus, so the UCP will not call upon the people to go to Ploshcha (Square).”

But there is a hypothetical possibility of people uniting not under the banner of the opposition, as happened in the Ukrainian Maidan.

LEU MARHOLIN, COORDINATOR OF ANATOL LYABEDZKA NOMINATING GROUP:
“If people gather in the Square, then our bidder Anatol Lyabedzka and the entire party is sure to be there with the people.”

Candidate for the presidency from the People’s Referendum Tatsiana Karatkevich also spoke about her possible support for the protesters, if there are some.
However, even the most radical experts promise boring elections, given the selection of the candidates, the public mood and the results of the last presidential campaign.

Yury Salodki, belsat.eu/en/

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