Free and fair presidential elections in Belarus are currently impossible due to repression and suppression of freedoms, according to a statement from the U.S. Embassy in Belarus on Saturday.
"Ongoing repression has made free and fair elections in Belarus unattainable, and the presidential elections of 2025 cannot reflect the will of the Belarusian people. The United States condemns the fraudulent elections and the regime's deliberate and ongoing suppression of freedoms," the statement emphasized.
The U.S. also calls for an end to the propaganda use of and the release of imprisoned journalists from "Radio Free Europe" and U.S. citizen Yuri Zenkovich.
"The authorities of Belarus are using U.S. citizen Yuri Zenkovich and journalists from 'Radio Free Europe' Igor Losik, Andrei Kuznechik, and Igor Kornei in propaganda videos - this raises deep concerns. The regime must stop exploiting them for propaganda and release them so they can return to their families," stated U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Chris Smith.
From January 14-17, interviews with those convicted under "extremist articles," including Zenkovich, Losik, Kuznechik, and Kornei, were aired on the state-controlled channel ONT.
The next presidential election in Belarus is scheduled for January 26, 2025, with early voting taking place from January 21-25.
Five candidates are vying for the highest state position, including the current head of the republic, Alexander Lukashenko, who has been in office since 1994 and is seeking a seventh presidential term.