Following the closing of polling stations, reports have arisen of widespread internet disruption. Internet watchdog Netblocks has confirmed these reports. Furthermore, local journalists have reported that military and police personnel have shut down Minsk to prevent protests from erupting.
Earlier on election day, Lukashenko issued a stern warning to opposition protestors, “If you’re going to go against our country, or even in the smallest way try to plunge the country into chaos and destabilise it, you will receive an immediate response from me,” according to AP reports.
Further hints of widespread electioneering on the part of the Lukashenko have begun to pop up, including a report by Honest People, an independent election monitoring association, which claims 5,096 violations have been witnessed by observers.
To make matters worse, opposition leader Tikhanovskaya’s campaign manager was detained by authorities the night before election day. Another individual with ties to the campaign, Veronika Tsepkalo, has fled to Moscow.
