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| Belarus presidential elections: Voting begins | Belarus presidential elections: Voting begins |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Presidential elections are taking place in Belarus, where voters are expected to return incumbent Alexander Lukashenko to power. | Presidential elections are taking place in Belarus, where voters are expected to return incumbent Alexander Lukashenko to power. |
| Mr Lukashenko has governed the former Soviet republic almost unchallenged for 21 years. | |
| Only three candidates are standing against Mr Lukashenko, and no veteran opposition leaders are standing as they were not allowed to register. | Only three candidates are standing against Mr Lukashenko, and no veteran opposition leaders are standing as they were not allowed to register. |
| They say that the vote will not be free or fair. | They say that the vote will not be free or fair. |
| Belarusian TV on Sunday showed President Lukashenko casting his vote in an election for which he is seeking a fifth consecutive term of office. | Belarusian TV on Sunday showed President Lukashenko casting his vote in an election for which he is seeking a fifth consecutive term of office. |
| The president was accompanied to the polling station by his youngest son, Nikolai, who has accompanied his father on numerous public occasions in recent years. | The president was accompanied to the polling station by his youngest son, Nikolai, who has accompanied his father on numerous public occasions in recent years. |
| Critics have accused the president and his supporters of preventing the main opposition parties from building any public profile and restricting their access to the all-powerful state-owned media. | Critics have accused the president and his supporters of preventing the main opposition parties from building any public profile and restricting their access to the all-powerful state-owned media. |
| This year's Nobel Literature Prize laureate, Svetlana Alexievich, has warned that her country is a "soft dictatorship". | This year's Nobel Literature Prize laureate, Svetlana Alexievich, has warned that her country is a "soft dictatorship". |
| She said Mr Lukashenko was a man connected to the Soviet era and was untrustworthy. None of her books is published in Belarus. | She said Mr Lukashenko was a man connected to the Soviet era and was untrustworthy. None of her books is published in Belarus. |
| Belarus profile | Belarus profile |
| Still Europe's last dictator? | Still Europe's last dictator? |
| Why does President Lukashenko take his son to work? | Why does President Lukashenko take his son to work? |
| Belarus country profile | Belarus country profile |
| Last time a presidential election was held in Belarus - in 2010 - seven of the nine presidential candidates were arrested. | Last time a presidential election was held in Belarus - in 2010 - seven of the nine presidential candidates were arrested. |
| One of them was only released this year following widespread international pressure. | One of them was only released this year following widespread international pressure. |
| The candidates were accused of various offences, including the encouragement of violent protest and attempting to overthrow the state. | The candidates were accused of various offences, including the encouragement of violent protest and attempting to overthrow the state. |
| The opposition says that there are no plans for post-election demonstrations similar to those held in December 2010. | The opposition says that there are no plans for post-election demonstrations similar to those held in December 2010. |
| The BBC's Paul Moss says that few doubt that Mr Lukashenko will win again - and the man once dubbed "Europe's last dictator" seems determined to stick around. | The BBC's Paul Moss says that few doubt that Mr Lukashenko will win again - and the man once dubbed "Europe's last dictator" seems determined to stick around. |