What happened during the protests after Belarus’s 2020 presidential election?

Following the 2020 presidential election in Belarus, which was characterized by widespread vote rigging, the country experienced its largest street demonstrations since the collapse of the Soviet Union.12

These protests were fueled by public dissatisfaction with the government's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and the overt nature of electoral interference. The government's response to the unrest was severe:13

• State Violence and Arrests: Thousands of protesters were arrested, and scores were injured during confrontations with police.13
• Suppression of Opposition: Many opposition leaders were imprisoned or forced into exile, including Svetlana Tikhanovskaya.13
• Labor Protests: Workers in state-owned factories participated by walking off the job in protest.3
• Regime Response: President Alexander Lukashenko rejected calls for a new election, labeling the demonstrators as foreign-controlled "rats," and was quietly sworn in for a sixth term in September 2020.13

The regime maintained its grip on power through continued repression and, subsequently, by securing support from Russia, which demonstrated its commitment to the Lukashenko government through joint military exercises.12