Belarus Opposition Cautions Against January Protests

Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, Belarusian opposition leader in exile, urges citizens not to protest January's elections, calling them a sham to legitimize President Lukashenko. Fearing a crackdown, she advocates spoiling ballots instead. Meanwhile, Lukashenko, in power since 1994, seeks reelection amid international calls for more sanctions.

An exiled opposition leader from Belarus is advising citizens to refrain from protesting the upcoming January elections, labeling the vote as a facade to falsely legitimize President Alexander Lukashenko.

Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, a key figure who ran against Lukashenko in 2020 and subsequently went into exile, warns of a potential crackdown if any demonstrations occur. Citing four years of stringent repression, she suggests that citizens should spoil their ballots instead of sacrificing themselves in protest.

Lukashenko aims to secure a seventh term as president on January 26, amid calls from Tsikhanouskaya for the international community to not recognize the election results and to impose stricter sanctions. Despite prior police action against mass protests, the opposition continues to find ways to resist and challenge the long-serving leader.

(With inputs from agencies.)