TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — President Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus signed a brand new legislation Thursday that provides him lifelong immunity from legal prosecution and prevents opposition leaders dwelling overseas from working in future presidential elections.
The legislation theoretically applies to any former president and members of his or her household. In actuality, it solely is related to the 69-year-old Lukashenko, who has dominated Belarus with an iron fist for nearly 30 years.
The brand new measure seems geared toward additional shoring up Lukashenko’s energy and eliminating potential challengers within the nation’s subsequent presidential election, which is because of happen in 2025.
The legislation considerably tightens necessities for presidential candidates and makes it inconceivable to elect opposition leaders who fled to neighboring international locations lately. Solely residents of Belarus who’ve completely resided within the nation for no less than 20 years and have by no means had a residence allow out of the country are eligible to run.
Belarus was rocked by mass protests throughout Lukashenko’s controversial re-election in August 2020 for a sixth time period, which the opposition and the West condemned as fraudulent. At the moment, Belarusian authorities detained greater than 35,000 folks, a lot of whom have been tortured in custody or left the nation.
Lukashenko additionally has been accused of involvement within the unlawful switch of youngsters from Russian-occupied cities in Ukraine to Belarus.
In keeping with the textual content of the brand new legislation, Lukashenko, have been he to go away energy, “can’t be held accountable for actions dedicated in reference to exercising his presidential powers.”
The legislation additionally says the president and members of his household shall be supplied with lifelong state safety, medical care, life and medical insurance. After resigning, the president would additionally change into a everlasting lifelong member of the higher home of parliament.
Opposition chief Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, who fled to neighboring Lithuania in 2020, mentioned the brand new legislation is Lukashenko’s response to his “concern of an inevitable future,” suggesting Lukashenko should be involved about what occurs to him when he leaves energy.
“Lukashenko, who ruined the fates of 1000’s of Belarusians, shall be punished in keeping with worldwide legislation, and no immunity will shield him in opposition to this, it’s solely a matter of time,” Tikhanovskaya mentioned.
The nation’s political opposition is searching for an investigation into the disappearances of opposition politicians and the removing of Ukrainian youngsters from Ukraine.
“We’ll be certain that the dictator is delivered to justice,” Tikhanovskaya mentioned, emphasizing that there are nonetheless about 1,500 political prisoners behind bars in Belarus, together with Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ales Bialiatski.