Self-proclaimed president Lukashenko threatens to shut down internet in Belarus if protests erupt again

Alexander Lukashenko, the self-proclaimed Belarusian president, has announced plans to completely disconnect the internet during the upcoming presidential elections if protests similar to those in 2020 occur.

Source: BelTA, a Belarusian state-owned news outlet, citing Lukashenko's statement.

Quote: "If this [protests – ed.] happens again, we will shut it [the internet – ed.] down completely. Let me be honest, this was almost always done, especially in the early stages, with my approval."

Details: During a meeting at Minsk State Linguistic University, on 22 November, Lukashenko responded to a question about internet shutdowns during elections, similar to what happened in Belarus in 2020.

He explained that the internet was disconnected in 2020 because "the fate of the country was at stake". He also acknowledged that protests could flare up again during the upcoming elections.

Quote: "No one [during the 2020 protests – ed.] was holding down or beating anyone [protesters – ed.]. There was no need to hold down or beat anyone. Belarusians are not that kind of people. I understood where it was coming from. It was all organised through the internet, primarily from Poland – routes, where we would go, how we would go… I understood where this could lead. We would have ended up with a war worse than in Ukraine. It would have been harsher."

The next presidential elections in Belarus are scheduled for January 2025.

Background:

• Lukashenko has been in power in Belarus for 30 years. However, after large-scale falsifications during the 2020 presidential elections, mass protests erupted in Belarus. Protesters demanded new fair elections, the release of political prisoners, and accountability for the beating and torture of peaceful demonstrators.
• Previously, Lukashenko also commented on the possibility of a woman winning the presidential elections in Belarus.

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