Editing Politics of Belarus (section)

===Lukashenko's administration===
[[File:Belarus-Minsk-Opposition Protests 2006.03.19.jpg|thumb|A demonstration by the opposition after the [[2006 Belarusian presidential election|2006 presidential election]]]]

[[Alexander Lukashenko]] has been the president since 1994. Lukashenko has been quoted as saying that he has an "authoritarian ruling style" that he uses to run the country.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3882843.stm| date=20 March 2006| title=Profile: Alexander Lukashenko| work=BBC News| access-date=2006-03-26| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060427193138/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3882843.stm| archive-date=27 April 2006| url-status=live}}</ref> The [[Council of Europe]] has barred Belarus from membership since 1997 for numerous voting irregularities in the November 1996 constitutional referendum and parliament by-elections. According to the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe, Belarus's constitution is "illegal and does not respect minimum democratic standards and thus violates the principles of separation of powers and the rule of law".<ref name="CoE">{{cite web| url=http://press.coe.int/cp/97/11a(97).htm| title=Belarus suspended from the Council of Europe| date=January 17, 1997| access-date=2006-03-26| url-status=dead| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060426062531/http://press.coe.int/cp/97/11a%2897%29.htm| archive-date=April 26, 2006}}</ref> The Belarusian government has also been criticized by [[Human Rights Watch]] for [[human rights]] violations and its actions against [[Non-governmental organization|NGOs]], independent journalists, national minorities and opposition politicians.<ref name="HRW">{{cite book| chapter-url=http://hrw.org/english/docs/2005/01/13/belaru9878.htm| title=Human Rights Watch| chapter=Belarus: Events of 2004| date=5 January 2005| access-date=2006-03-26| archive-url=https://archive.today/20120713102249/http://hrw.org/english/docs/2005/01/13/belaru9878.htm| archive-date=2012-07-13| url-status=live}}</ref>

In testimony to the [[U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations]], [[United States Secretary of State|Secretary of State]] [[Condoleezza Rice]] labeled Belarus, among six other states, as part of the US's list of ''[[outposts of tyranny]].''<ref>{{cite web| url=http://foreign.senate.gov/testimony/2005/RiceTestimony050118.pdf| title=Opening Statement by Dr. Condoleezza Rice, Senate Foreign Relations Committee| date=January 18, 2005| access-date=2006-03-26 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060325002023/http://foreign.senate.gov/testimony/2005/RiceTestimony050118.pdf <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date = 2006-03-25}}</ref> The Belarusian Foreign Ministry announced that the statement from Secretary Rice "are a poor basis" to form a good Belarusian-American alliance.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4187361.stm| date=19 January 2005| title=At-a-glance: 'Outposts of tyranny'| access-date=2006-03-26| work=BBC News| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060820115227/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4187361.stm| archive-date=20 August 2006| url-status=live}}</ref>

The EU [[List of people and organizations sanctioned in relation to human rights violations in Belarus|sanctioned 21 more Belarusian officials]] in early 2012. After Belarus expelled the EU and Polish ambassadors in response, EU nations jointly withdrew their ambassadors from Belarus, citing tremendous concern over the political oppression in the nation. It is no secret that "[[Poland]] has taken the strongest lead against the ongoing repression in Belarus, hosting broadcasting stations for opposition forces" like [[Belsat]], and "giving [[Right of asylum|asylum]] to a number of exiled figures."<ref name=indyb>{{cite news|newspaper=The Independent|first=Jerome |last=Taylor|date=29 February 2012|title=Belarus left isolated as EU nations withdraw ambassadors|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/belarusleft-isolated-as-eu-nations-withdraw-ambassadors-7463793.html|access-date=3 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150925185659/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/belarusleft-isolated-as-eu-nations-withdraw-ambassadors-7463793.html|archive-date=25 September 2015|url-status=live}}</ref>

During the rule of Lukashenko there have been several cases of persecution, including the [[Forced disappearance|disappearance]] or death of prominent opposition leaders [[Yury Zacharanka]] and [[Viktar Hanchar]] and independent journalists [[Dzmitry Zavadski]] and [[Veronika Cherkasova]].

As of 2017, Belarus is also the only nation in Europe that retains the [[Capital punishment in Belarus|death penalty]] for certain crimes. The most recent execution was in 2019.