{"id":114853,"date":"2024-11-21T14:44:20","date_gmt":"2024-11-21T11:44:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/114853\/"},"modified":"2026-03-09T20:10:49","modified_gmt":"2026-03-09T20:10:49","slug":"official-1-5-million-ballot-access-signatures-collected-for-lukasenka-in-two-weeks","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/114853\/","title":{"rendered":"Official: 1.5 million ballot-access signatures collected for \u0141uka\u0161enka in two weeks"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

November 21, Pozirk<\/em>.<\/strong> More than 1.5 million ballot-access signatures have been collected for Alaksandar \u0141uka\u0161enka\u2019s presidential nomination since November 7, said Juryj Sia\u0144ko, head of the pro-government Federation of Trade Unions of Belarus in charge of the signature-collection effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u0141uka\u0161enka welcomed the news as \u201ca terrific achievement\u201d at a meeting with Sia\u0144ko today, the Belarusian leader\u2019s press office reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Belarusian ruler expressed confidence that there was no pressure or coercion during the signature collection. \u201cWe don’t need it at all. We have to act very carefully in this direction to avoid unnecessary questions later,\u201d his press office quoted him as saying.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Human rights defenders say, however, that the ongoing collection of signatures for \u0141uka\u0161enka\u2019s seventh presidential bid involves coercion, including threats of dismissal from work and eviction from student dormitories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u0141uka\u0161enka, his supporters Aleh Hajdukievi\u010d, Alaksandar Chi\u017eniak, Siarhiej Syranko\u016d as well as former MP Hanna Kanapackaja must garner at least 100,000 voter signatures before December 6 to qualify for the race.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No other candidate except for \u0141uka\u0161enka have reported the numbers of collected signatures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Belarus will hold the presidential election from January 21 to 26, with the whole election cycle limited to just three months. The previous 2020 presidential race was marred by police brutality against peaceful protesters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The country has not held a single free and fair election since 1996 by the standards of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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