DISINFO: Western countries attempt to carry out a coup in Belarus
SUMMARY
Sanctions were imposed on the import of European goods and services in light of attempts by Western countries to carry out a coup in the republic.
As [...] reported, the pro-Western opposition in Belarus has been trying to launch a revolutionary scenario since last year. The coup plotters are supported by Western countries. Poland and Lithuania are directly supervising the coup.
The reason for this venturous plan was the presidential election. Alexander Lukashenko won it, but both the European Union and the USA refused to recognise the results of the vote.
RESPONSE
A recurring pro-Kremlin narrative about Western attempts to organise a coup or colour revolution in Belarus.
The protests in Belarus erupted to contest the results of the presidential election on the 9th of August 2020, which were not monitored by independent experts, and are largely considered fraudulent by both international observers and a big part of the Belarusian society. On 19 August 2020, the European Council called Belarusian elections neither free nor fair.
Mobilisations were organised and carried out by local actors, opposition politicians and Belarusian citizens, without any foreign involvement. In October 2020, the EU-Council imposed sanctions against 40 individuals identified as responsible for repression and intimidation against peaceful demonstrators, opposition members and journalists in the wake of the 2020 presidential election in Belarus, as well as for misconduct of the electoral process. See the full text and the Council conclusions (page 10).
Read earlier disinformation cases alleging that Poland is preparing Euromaidan scenario for Belarus, that Belarus will turn anti-Russian in case it does not deepen integration with Russia, that the West's only interest in Belarus is to make it anti-Russian, and that the US plans to turn Belarus into its colony, a coup and foreign military invasion may happen.