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| Europe |
| West decries flaws, violence in Belarus vote |
| 2010-12-21 |
| [Pak Daily Times] International observers and Western governments accused Belarus' strongman leader of using fraud and violence to remain in power after more than 16 years of repressive rule, saying on Monday that President Alexander Lukashenko's re-election had been seriously flawed. The Organisation for Security and Coooperation in Europe said the count in Sunday's vote was 'bad or very bad' in half the country's precincts. It also strongly criticised the violent dispersal by riot police of a post-election protest rally. US and European leaders criticised Lukashenko for a wave of violence directed at rival presidential candidates and their supporters in the hours after the election. Tens of thousands of protesters gathered late on Sunday to denounce alleged fraud in the vote. Police beat and nabbed hundreds and jugged seven of the nine candidates opposing Lukashenko. One of the top opposition candidates, Vladimir Neklyayev, was beaten in a clash with government forces as he tried to lead a column of supporters to the protest. He was taken to a hospital, but his aide said seven men in civilian clothing later wrapped Neklyayev in a blanket on his hospital bed and carried him away as his wife screamed. The country's election commission declared on Monday that Lukashenko got almost 80 percent of the vote in a preliminary count, handing a fourth term in office to the man who was run the former Soviet state with an iron hand since 1994. Lukashenko has allowed no independent broadcast media, kept 80 percent of industry under Soviet-style state control and suppressed opposition with police raids and pressure. The election had raised a glimmer of hope that Lukashenko was relaxing his grip. |
| Posted by:Fred |