On Thursday, 23 January, the Saeima adopted a statement in defence of the interests of the Belarusian people, condemning the consolidation of power by Alexander Lukashenko's regime. In the statement, the Saeima does not recognise the Belarusian presidential elections scheduled for 26 January this year as legitimate, emphasising that they bear no resemblance to a free and fair electoral process.
The Saeima, in its statement, expresses support for the aspirations of Belarusian democratic forces and civil society for a free, independent, and democratic state. It also calls on the international community to strengthen sanctions against the Lukashenko regime and to oppose any attempts to legitimise it on the international stage.
“The so-called Belarusian presidential elections have nothing in common with a free and democratic electoral process. The extensive repression by the Lukashenko regime, which began after the 2020 Belarusian presidential elections, continues to this day. More than 1,200 political prisoners remain in detention, while hundreds of thousands of Belarusians, fleeing repression, have been forced into exile. Such pseudo-elections, characterised by the absence of freedom of speech and assembly, disregard for democracy and the rule of law, and a predetermined outcome, cannot and must not be considered legitimate,” said Ināra Mūrniece, Chair of the Saeima Foreign Affairs Committee, responsible for the statement.
The Members of Parliament condemn the systematic human rights violations perpetrated by the Belarusian regime, including the destruction of independent media, the suppression of the opposition, and the inhumane treatment of political prisoners.
Furthermore, the parliamentarians demand that the Belarusian authorities immediately release all political prisoners, cease repression, and comply with their international commitments regarding human rights and democratic principles.
The statement also highlights that the upcoming so-called elections are marked by the absence of internationally recognised observers, the total suppression of the opposition, the destruction of independent media, and an intensification of repressions, depriving the Belarusian people of any opportunity to freely express their political will.
The Members of the Saeima further emphasise that the leader of the Belarusian regime, Alexander Lukashenko, has lost all legitimacy since 2020, and these elections serve merely as a symbolic gesture to maintain the regime's grip on power.
Saeima Press Service