Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko denies brutality, calls reports 'fake and fantasy'

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko recently refused to apologise for the reported widespread human rights violations in the nation since his disputed re-election last year. In an interview with CNN, Lukashenko was asked about the evidence from Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International of some detainees reporting injuries, while others said that they were forced to lie naked in the dirt while being assaulted. The Belarusian President responded by saying that he “guarantees” that Belarus’ detention centres are “no worse than in Britain or the US".  

In the televised interview, Lukashenko replied saying, “You know, we don't have a single detention center, as you say, like Guantanamo, or those bases that the United States and your country created in Eastern Europe.”

“As regards our own detention centers, where we keep those accused or those under investigation, they are no worse than in Britain or the United States. I can guarantee you that,” he added. 

Reports of brutality are 'fake and fantasy' 

Lukashenko, who has been president of Belarus since 1994, is known in some circles as “Europe’s last dictator”. Belarus’ presidential election in 2020 was met with widespread protest from a growing opposition movement. A crackdown that followed Lukashenko’s victory, saw more than 35,000 people arrested and thousands beaten by police. Opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya fled the nation, while others were jailed.

However, Lukashenko has repeatedly denied that his government unleashed massive repression of dissent after his re-election. Even though law enforcement officials have reportedly admitted receiving over 5,000 complaints about beating and torture, the Belarusian President has said that some people may have been beaten in protests because they “came to the barricades with knives and blades”. While speaking to CNN, Lukashenko yet again dismissed and refused to apologise to Belarusians for the repression they’ve faced from his government. 

When pressed about the reports of brutality, he said, “Everything that you've just said is fake and fantasy,” adding, “I guarantee you it's fake and fantasy."

(Image: AP)