DISINFO: Colour revolution in Belarus failed
SUMMARY
The Belarusian opposition is so unlucky that it has every chance of losing even in the “Loser of the Year” nomination. The circumstances beyond its control and its own leaders play against the opposition. The latter issue such enchanting initiatives that it is generally unclear how to rake them up without heavy reputation and image losses. It is not surprising that the protests in Belarus are steadily moving towards their increasingly inevitable failure. And by doing so, the republic will hammer its nail into the coffin of the worldwide myth of the colour revolution.
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. On the contrary, for the 10th weekend in a row, tens of thousands of protesters opposing long-time President Alexander Lukashenko marched through the capital despite threats of force from authorities to open fire. Contrary to the claim about colour revolutions, 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 the Belarus elections neither free nor fair 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.