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Rubio Joins Durbin and Cardin Introducing Resolution Calling for Free, Fair, and Transparent Elections in Belarus

Jul 28, 2020 | Press Releases

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) joined Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Ben Cardin (D-MD) in introducing a bipartisan resolution calling for a free, fair, and transparent presidential election in Belarus taking place on August 9, 2020, including the unimpeded participation of all presidential candidates. Long-term strongman Alyaksandr Lukashenko has ruled Belarus as an undemocratic dictatorship amid a series of flawed elections going back to 1994. In the most recent 2010 and 2015 presidential elections, Lukashenko arbitrarily disqualified or jailed key opponents in the days ahead of the elections.

According to the United States Department of State 2019 Human Rights country Report on Belarus, Lukashenko has consolidated his rule over all institutions since his first term as president, undermined the rule of law through authoritarian means, including manipulated elections and arbitrary decrees, such that all subsequent presidential elections fell well short of international standards.

The full text of the resolution is here.