Belarus Strongman Sets Feb 27 For Vote On Reforms
Fahad Shabbir (@FahadShabbir) Published January 21, 2022 | 12:00 AM
Moscow, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 20th Jan, 2022 ) :The strongman leader of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko on Thursday said a vote on constitutional reforms that he promised in the wake of historic protests against his rule would be held February 27.
Lukashenko, who has been in power for nearly 30 years, first floated possible changes after a presidential vote in August 2020 sparked historic demonstrations that were met with a brutal crackdown.
He claimed a sixth term in the vote and imprisoned leading opposition figures, with his main rival Svetlana Tikhanovskaya fleeing to neighbouring Lithuania.
The amendments would reinstate presidential term limits -- previously ditched by Lukashenko -- to two five-year terms, but they would only apply to the next elected president.
Were Lukashenko, 67, to put himself forward as a candidate for re-election in 2025, he could conceivably remain in power for an additional ten years.
The proposed constitutional changes also grant immunity to former leaders for crimes committed during their term in office and would make it legal for Belarus to host nuclear weapons on its territory.
Tikhanovskaya's office in Lithuania hit out at the vote on Thursday saying that a sweeping crackdown on any dissenting voices since the 2020 election made any real discussion of the proposals impossible.
"There are no opportunities for free discussion of the proposed amendments, election commissions are not formed transparently, and independent monitoring of the voting process is impossible," she said in a statement.
"The only possible electoral campaign that meets the interests of Belarusians is the democratic election of a new president according to international standards and only after the release of all political prisoners," she added.
The Viasna rights group says that nearly 1,000 people in Belarus have been incarcerated for political reasons and last month Lukashenko jailed a 43-year-old YouTube blogger who is Tikhanovskaya's husband, Sergai Tikhanovsky, for 18 years.
President Vladimir Putin in 2020 held a vote on constitutional changes that make it possible for him to remain in power until 2036.
Related Topics
Recent Stories
President for dialogue with all political forces in Balochistan
Supreme Court adjourns IHC judges letter case
RDMC, Hunar Foundation Vocational Training Center inaugurated in Nokkundi
Man critically injured as vehicle catches fire amid CNG filling
Provincial health ministers chair meeting of Punjab Blood Transfusion Authority
Sheikh Jafar Khan Mandukhel assumes charge as Governor Balochistan
PITHM organizes counselling session
Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal leaves f ..
Defence Minister vows to punish perpetrators of May 9 incident
AJK High Court orders Govt to legislate on electricity taxes
Seminar on "The Role of Youth in Nation Building: In the Light of Iqbal's Though ..
Stock markets mostly rise on lower rates optimism
More Stories From Miscellaneous
-
Concerted efforts urged to ease traffic flow on city roads
3 days ago -
Land degradation: A threat to food security
3 days ago -
Revamping health sector, a gigantic task ahead
3 days ago -
American band promotes intercultural harmony thru music fusions
3 days ago -
Waste Management – A persistent challenge for MWMC
5 days ago -
Experts for ending child labour
6 days ago
-
Labour Day - A reminder for better facilities to workers
6 days ago -
Stage Drama Mohabati Manhoon presents in Arts council Larkana
9 days ago -
Wheat farmers in a fix on price, procurement mechanism
10 days ago -
Modern tools to help transform crime investigation procedures
10 days ago -
Sanam Marvi captivates audience with mesmerizing performance
10 days ago -
Modern Education Techniques: A pathway to achieve economic development
11 days ago