On March 19th presidential elections were held in Belarus: the former president Alexander Lukashenko won with 82.6 percent of all votes, after a campaign conducted with the use of threat. International observers complained about the results: "The 19th March presidential election did not meet the required international standards for free and fair elections", said Alcee Hastings, a special coordinator for an observer mission of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

OSCE pointed out the arbitrary use of state power and restrictions on basic rights adopted by Lukashenko. It said the vote count was problematic and lacked transparency.

When polls closed and Lukashenko's victory was announced 10,000 people rallied in heavy snow in the central October Square of the capital, Minsk. Protesters called for new elections, declaring that the vote was a fraud. During a week of clash with police many demonstrators have been jailed. European Union leaders slapped sanctions on Belarus and condemned the police attack against the demonstrators.

Zianon Pazniak is a Belarusian politician, leader in exile of the democratic opposition and of the Christian Conservative Party of the BPF. His comment about the present situation is posted HERE.