Why were opposition leaders forced into exile after the 2020 Belarusian election?

Following the 2020 presidential election in Belarus, opposition leaders were forced into exile as part of a broader crackdown by the regime of Alexander Lukashenko to suppress dissent and maintain his hold on power.12

The election was characterized by widespread vote rigging and overt electoral interference, including the jailing of opposition candidates. These actions, combined with the government's poor handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, sparked the largest wave of popular demonstrations in the country since the collapse of the Soviet Union. In response to the protests, the state engaged in significant repression: nearly 7,000 people were arrested, many were injured in clashes with police, and opposition figures—such as Svetlana Tikhanovskaya—were compelled to flee the country to avoid imprisonment.123

The regime’s commitment to silencing opposition remained absolute, as evidenced by later actions such as the forced diversion of a commercial airliner in 2021 to arrest a journalist. These measures reflect an authoritarian approach that prioritizes the preservation of the incumbent's rule over democratic processes and human rights.12