This time, however, his “victory” comes at an especially high cost: all his major opponents have either been imprisoned or forced into exile abroad. The citizens of Belarus — hostages of Lukashenko’s regime — may as well not participate in this farce, as they have long since been stripped of their voices. Neither the dictator nor his Kremlin handler cares about the will of the majority of Belarusians anymore.

A Fake Election Without Real Alternatives

The next presidential election in Belarus was originally scheduled no later than July 20, 2025, but it was abruptly moved up to January 26. Why? Because of the mounting problems faced by Russia’s fascist invaders on the Ukrainian front. Lukashenko knows full well that without Putin’s personal support, he cannot “win.”

Adding to the absurdity of the situation is the fact that, alongside Lukashenko, four other “technical” candidates are running. Independent media have dubbed them “stooges” (or “seksoty,” a slang term for secret informants), as none of them have any political history, real support, or chance of victory.

Polling stations are open only within Belarus, as overseas voting has been canceled. This is particularly cynical given Lukashenko’s past criticism of Moldova for allegedly not opening enough polling stations abroad during their elections.

“Some Chose Prison, Some Exile” — Lukashenko’s Cynical Response to Criticism

At a press conference, BBC journalist Steve Rosenberg asked Lukashenko how the elections could possibly be considered democratic when his main opponents are either in prison or in exile.

Lukashenko replied:

“Steve, some are in prison, some are in exile, but you’re here. It’s their choice. It’s democratic. Some chose prison, some exile, as you say. We didn’t force anyone out of the country. Moreover, we’ve opened up the country.”

This statement once again illustrates the regime’s brazen cynicism, reducing the concept of “freedom of choice” to absurdity in a country that resembles a concentration camp more than a democratic state.

30 Years of Oppression and Repression

According to independent publication Zerkalo, over 30 years of Lukashenko’s rule, 15 out of 20 of his political opponents have faced repression after elections, with 13 of them becoming subjects of criminal cases. After the rigged 2020 election, Belarus erupted in mass protests, which were brutally suppressed. The United States and 37 OSCE countries have already declared these elections illegitimate, labeling them a “farce.”

Protests and International Criticism

Meanwhile, on the Polish-Belarusian border, activist Sergey Stalmakov held a protest, installing a symbolic “ballot box” topped with a toilet seat.

“Belarusian votes are flushed straight down the toilet. No one counts them, and the numbers are fabricated to please the usurper,” he stated.

Before the vote, the Lukashenko regime restricted internet access to prevent the spread of independent information.

A Prison Camp Under Lukashenko’s Rule

Under Lukashenko’s rule, Belarus has become a country-prison, where the regime’s hostages are deprived of any opportunity to change their future. What kind of “choice” can exist in the “concentration camp Belarus,” where the government decides everything and people’s lives are reduced to statistics in convenient reports?

While the international community and independent media continue to condemn this theater of absurdity, the people of Belarus remain trapped under the heavy hand of dictatorship.