Arrr, Lukashenko be signin' a law makin' him immune to crimes, like a scurvy pirate claimin' eternal booty protection!
2024-01-04
Arrr, me hearties! The fearsome Belarusian Cap'n, Alexander Lukashenko, hath put his quill to parchment and signed a law, bestowin' upon himself the grand gift of lifelong protection from the hangman's noose! Aye, ye heard it right, lads and lasses, the scoundrel be invincible!
President Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus has signed a new law granting him lifelong immunity from criminal prosecution and preventing opposition leaders living abroad from participating in future presidential elections. This law, although theoretically applicable to any former president and their family members, is primarily aimed at solidifying Lukashenko's power as he has been ruling with an iron fist for nearly three decades. The measure comes as the country prepares for its next presidential election in 2025. The law imposes stricter requirements for presidential candidates, making it impossible for opposition leaders who fled to neighboring countries to run. Only citizens who have resided in Belarus for at least 20 years without holding a residence permit in another country are eligible to run.In August 2020, Belarus experienced mass protests following Lukashenko's controversial re-election for a sixth term, which was widely condemned as fraudulent by the opposition and the West. The authorities detained over 35,000 people, with reports of torture and forced exile. Lukashenko has also been accused of involvement in the illegal transfer of children from Russian-occupied towns in Ukraine to Belarus.
According to the new law, if Lukashenko were to step down, he would be immune from accountability for actions committed during his presidency. The law also guarantees lifelong state protection, medical care, and insurance for the president and his family. Furthermore, upon resignation, the president would become a permanent member of the upper house of parliament. Opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, who fled to Lithuania in 2020, sees this law as a manifestation of Lukashenko's fear of an uncertain future and believes that he will eventually face punishment under international law.
The opposition in Belarus continues to seek justice for the disappearances of opposition politicians and the removal of Ukrainian children from Ukraine. Tikhanovskaya vows to hold the dictator accountable and highlights the presence of approximately 1,500 political prisoners, including Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ales Bialiatski, who remain detained in Belarus.