Belarus election deemed non-legitimate

The United States says the presidential election in Belarus was not legitimate, and it is calling for the immediate release of all presidential candidates and protesters detained after the voting on Sunday, News.com reported.

A White House statement also condemned the Belarus government for what the U.S. said were actions taken to undermine the democratic process, and for using “disproportionate force” against political activists.

President Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus appeared to shrug off accusations by U.S. and European officials that he won re-election through a combination of vote fraud and violence.

Mr. Lukashenko said his government arrested more than 600 people from the crowd of tens of thousands of protesters who faced baton-wielding riot police in the capital's central squares. He said those arrested were “vandals.”

Seven of the nine candidates who opposed Mr. Lukashenko in the presidential race also were arrested, and several were beaten by police.

The U.S. Embassy in Minsk said it was particularly concerned about the forcible removal of opposition leader Vladimir Neklyayev from a Minsk hospital by unknown individuals after he was beaten by police.

The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe said a “flawed vote count” gave Mr. Lukashenko an overwhelming victory, and it called for the government of Belarus to account for the arrest of presidential candidates, journalists and human rights activists.
The European Union's foreign affairs chief, Catherine Ashton, also criticized the violence against protestors.

Election officials say Mr. Lukashenko won almost 80 percent of the vote on Sunday, assuring him of a fourth five-year term in office. His nearest rival was credited with less than three percent of the vote.

Russian election observers said the vote was legitimate, and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said the post-election violence was an “internal matter” for Belarus.

Mr. Lukashenko has ruled Belarus since 1994 with little tolerance for political opposition.