Belarusian opposition leader at White House receives: ‘Support moral duty’

During a meeting with Belarusian opposition leader Dikanovskaya, US President Biden expressed his support for the country’s pro-democracy movement. Dikanovskaya received at the White House that it was generally reserved for heads of state and government.

After the meeting, Biden said the United States sided with the people of Belarus, where dictator Lukashenko has been in power for 27 years.

Dixonovskaya, who has previously spoken with Secretary of State Blinken and National Security Adviser Sullivan in Washington, said he had sought Biden’s support. According to 38-year-old Tikanovskaya, the United States has a moral obligation to help the Belarusian people. It is not clear what Biden specifically promised.

The election results are incredible

There were presidential elections in Belarus in August last year, in which the opposition was able to form a fistfight for the first time this time despite strong opposition. Many opponents were imprisoned before the election. Tikanovskaya, the partner of one of the arrested opposition leaders, eventually surprised himself with a determined campaign, posing as one of his opponents.

According to the official decision released by the authorities, Lukashenko again won with a large majority, but even the opposition and supporters of the president called the decision unbelievable. Unprecedented mass struggles erupted in the country, which were brutally suppressed; Thousands of Belarusians were imprisoned.

Obstacles

Both the European Union and the United States have sided with the Belarusian opposition and imposed sanctions on Lukashenko’s government. It happened that, among other things, Belarus landed a passenger plane en route from Greece to Lithuania in Minsk and then removed a dissent from the plane.

Dikanovskaya emigrated to Lithuania and is trying to increase Lukashenko’s pressure with international help. He ultimately wants new elections to be overseen by international observers. Lukashenko still has major support from Russia, a major neighbor.

Earlier this year, Newsour spoke with relatives of prisoners in Belarus. The pictures and stories are shocking and give an insight into what is happening in prisons across the country: