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Disinfo: OSCE’s position on Belarus was decided even before the elections happened

Summary

The Belarusian authorities have invited the OSCE ODIHR – Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights – to take part in the monitoring of the elections. Why did it not come? This immediately makes us [Russia] think that, in fact, a position on the results of these elections had already been formulated. Therefore, someone may doubt the results, but we have every reason to doubt that those who doubt the election results were completely honest.

Disproof

A recurrent narrative about the West undermining democracy in Eastern countries and organising colour revolutions.

On July 15, the Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) informed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Belarus that the lack of an invitation to observe the upcoming presidential election precluded ODIHR from observing the ongoing election process and published a press release. Afterwards, Belarus officially invited the organisation to observe the presidential elections of 9 August 2020.

“The lack of a timely invitation more than two months after the announcement of the election has prevented ODIHR from observing key aspects of the electoral process,” said ODIHR Director Ingibjörg Sólrún Gísladóttir.

Six or seven weeks of preparations are needed to prepare a real independent and reliable observance mission. Moreover, the conditions were already very difficult: the presidential election campaign in Belarus was accompanied by unprecedented violence since the very early stage of the campaign.

ODIHR Director added that "the protection of fundamental freedoms of assembly and expression is a precondition for genuine democratic elections". The fact that prospective candidates had been intimidated and opposition activists arrested was deeply concerning.

See more cases about Belarus: The scheme of the colour revolution in Belarus is revealed, US hybrid war on Belarus allows Russia to “pull a Crimea” in the former Soviet Republic, Belarus mobilised its air force fearing an imminent NATO invasion.

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publication/media

Sputnik France (Archived)
rg.ru (Archived)
Interfax (Archived)
Sputnik English (Archived)
Sputnik Lithuania - Russian (Archived)
  • Reported in: Issue 209
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 28/08/2020
  • Language/target audience: French, Russian, English
  • Country: Russia, Belarus
  • Keywords: election meddling, Colour revolutions, Elections, OSCE

Disclaimer

Cases in the EUvsDisinfo database focus on messages in the international information space that are identified as providing a partial, distorted, or false depiction of reality and spread key pro-Kremlin messages. This does not necessarily imply, however, that a given outlet is linked to the Kremlin or editorially pro-Kremlin, or that it has intentionally sought to disinform. EUvsDisinfo publications do not represent an official EU position, as the information and opinions expressed are based on media reporting and analysis of the East Stratcom Task Force.

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