Lukashenko sworn in for seventh term as Belarus president

Our goal is to break away from the Russian occupation and Lukashenko's tyranny, and to return Belarus into the European family of nations,

Tsikhanouskaya said in a speech at the Lithuanian parliament

Half of the world is dreaming about our 'dictatorship,' the dictatorship of real business and interests of our people,

Lukashenko said in his inauguration speech at the Independence Palace

Lukashenko already has been sending signals to the West about his readiness to start a dialogue and his desire to normalize ties in order to ease the total dependence on the Kremlin and soften Western sanctions during his seventh term,

said Valery Karbalevich, an independent political analyst

The election was held amid a deep human rights crisis, in the atmosphere of total fear caused by repressions against civil society, independent media, opposition and dissent,

according to a statement released Tuesday by Viasna and 10 other Belarusian human rights groups

You don’t and won’t have public support, you have no future,

he declared

Alexander Lukashenkobelarusian President

In assuming the office of the President of the Republic of Belarus, I solemnly swear to faithfully serve the people of the Republic of Belarus, to respect and protect the rights and freedoms of man and citizen, to observe and protect the Constitution of the Republic of Belarus, to fulfill the high duties entrusted to me in a holy and conscientious manner."

Placing his right hand on the Constitution, Aleksandr Lukashenko took the oath of office in the Belarusian language