Concerns were reaffirmed about the regime’s crackdown on any surfacing of a personified alternative to Lukashenka. The last few days of the presidential race were like a bad dream to many opposition’s activists, NGO members and even journalists. Social Democratic newspaper Zhoda has been officially promised to be buried for publication of the infamous cartoons on Prophet Muhammad. Isn’t it a cute reason to silence an oppositional edition?
The leadership of election monitors, Partnerstva, has been thrown to prison. Definitely, fair observation after the elections is not what the regime craves for. Both Milinkevich’s and Kazulin’s campaigners are faced with a permanent influx of dangers – houses of some were searched, printed materials confiscated, some of my friends were interrogated, and some acquaintances ended up in jail. Almost on a daily basis, students get expelled for political reasons. Friedman’s “flat world” keeps on turning (or rather “leveling”). Somewhat farther away from Belarus.