Echoes of the Capitol Insurrection: Trump’s Call to ‘Guard the Vote’ Raises Concerns of a Dark Future for Democracy

Washington, D.C. – Three years after the harrowing events of Jan. 6, 2021, echoes of the Capitol insurrection continue to reverberate through our democracy. Former President Donald Trump, the Republican Party’s leading candidate for the 2024 presidential nomination, has urged his supporters to “guard the vote.” This dangerous rhetoric has already led to armed vigilantes standing watch at Arizona polls in 2022. Experts in a comprehensive 2023 survey by Protect Democracy and the SNF Agora Institute at Johns Hopkins University warned that political violence is eroding democracy in the United States. As we enter a … Read more

Belarusian President Grants Himself Immunity and Blocks Exiled Opposition Leaders from Future Elections

Minsk, Belarus – In a move to solidify his power and eliminate potential challengers in the upcoming presidential elections, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has signed a new law granting him lifelong immunity from criminal prosecution. The law also aims to prevent opposition leaders living in exile from running in future elections. This controversial legislation, which technically applies to any former president and their family members, is primarily targeted at Lukashenko, who has ruled Belarus with an iron fist for nearly three decades. With the next presidential election scheduled for 2025, the new law significantly tightens … Read more