DISINFO: Protests in Belarus are part of the 'colour revolutions'
SUMMARY
The confrontation in Belarus does not subside. The number of protesters against the law, order and the will of the majority falls every week. Those who are behind the ‘coloured riots’ want to uncork the tasty country for plunder. Or at least get rid of competitors. If Belarusian producers are really paralysed, others will immediately take their place in the market, and then they will regain the opportunity to work and earn – it will be almost impossible.
RESPONSE
Recurrent pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative framing popular protests as Western-backed 'colour revolutions', part of a campaign to portray massive mobilisations in Belarus as a destabilisation effort orchestrated from abroad. No evidence is provided to support the allegations. Contrary to the claim, protests in Belarus erupted to contest the results of the presidential election in Belarus on the 9th of August, which were not monitored by independent experts, and are largely considered fraudulent by both international observers and a large part of the Belarusian society. On 19 August 2020 the European Council called Belarus's elections neither free nor fair and sanctions and on 2 October 2020, the Council imposed restrictive measures against 40 individuals identified as responsible for repression and intimidation against peaceful demonstrators, opposition members and journalists, as well as for misconduct of the electoral process. Mobilisations were organised and carried out by local actors, opposition politicians and Belarusian citizens, without any foreign involvement. See other examples of pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives in Belarus, such as claims that the EU reaction to Lukashenko’s victory is an example of Western double standards; that the same lack of democracy and repression is present in EU countries that criticise them in Minsk; that the Ukrainian secret services may have planned terrorist attacks in Belarusian territory; that the West wants to prepare another Maidan in the country; or that Belarusians, Ukrainians and Russians are one single nation.