In the first few weeks of September, the country of Belarus has seen violent clashes between thousands of protesters and police after a rigged election resulted in another victory for Alexander Lukashenko. Otherwise known as Europe’s last dictator, Lukashenko has been in charge for 26 years now. (Wtf)
As European Union leaders and a majority of Belarusians continue to show their frustrations, Lukashenko has also gotten some “support” from Russia’s Vladimir Putin. A weird bromance toxic relationship.
According to a human rights center in the capital Minsk, more than 30,000 people had been detained since the first protests started in August. Thousands of which had been brutally beaten while in custody.
Belarus’ exiled opposition leader Tikhanovskaya was in Berlin at the time, as a number of opposition figures fled the country soon after the election results came out.
Tikhanovskaya was recently awareded the prestigious Sakharov Prize. She is still calling for other nations to apply pressure on Lukashenko’s regime and put an end to the 26-year rule.
Art by: Yuu Uchida
2nd September 2020
Abstract Column 