Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko has given himself lifelong immunity from criminal prosecution through a new law. International news agencies reported this on Thursday. The law also ensures that opposition leaders who have fled abroad will not be allowed to participate in future presidential elections. “The new law is a response to his fear of an inevitable future,” said Belarusian opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, who fled to neighboring Lithuania in 2020.
On paper, the new law that the 69-year-old president signed on Thursday also applies to former and future presidents and their family members. In addition, the law ensures that they will receive lifelong state protection, medical care, life and health insurance. Even if the president were to resign, he or she would remain a lifelong member of the Belarusian upper house of parliament.
It appears Lukashenko wants to consolidate his power and eliminate opposition leaders before Belarus' 2025 presidential elections. He has been in power since 1994. According to human rights organizations and election observers, the Belarusian elections are proceeding not fair, but the president is continually re-elected through fraud, repression and intimidation. According to Tikhanovskaya, he destroyed the lives of thousands of Belarusians during his presidency.
#Belarusian #President #Lukashenko #lifelong #immunity #prosecution
