Belarusian president Aleksandr Lukashenko intensified crackdowns on dissenting voices leading up to the August 2020 elections, particularly targeting journalists and potential rivals. An example is RFE/RL journalist Ihar Losik, arrested in June 2020 and sentenced to 15 years, with charges widely seen as politically motivated. His arrest came during widespread protests against the alleged rigging of the presidential elections, leading to massive civil unrest and violent repression by security forces. Opposition figures fled the country amid fears for their safety, while many have faced harsh treatment in custody or remain unheard.
"With opposition voices rising just a couple of months before a presidential election in August 2020, Belarusian leader Aleksandr Lukashenko began doing what threatened authoritarians do: rounding people up, especially those who had a voice or a platform."
"Losik, who worked for RFE/RL's Belarus Service, has endured isolation, and significant physical and psychological pressures, sentenced to 15 years in prison for politically motivated charges."
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