Belarusians vote in tightly controlled election amid opposition calls for its boycott

By YURAS KARMANAU
Associated Press

TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — Belarusians will cast ballots Sunday in tightly controlled parliamentary and local elections that are set to cement an authoritarian leader’s rule amid opposition calls for a boycott. President Alexander Lukashenko has ruled Belarus with an iron hand for nearly 30 years. He accuses the West of trying to use the vote to undermine his government and “destabilize” the nation of 9.5 million people. Most candidates belong to the four officially registered parties, which all support Lukashenko’s policies. About a dozen other parties were denied registration last year.