PATRIARCH KIRILL of Moscow has praised Alexander Lukashenko on his declared re-election as President of Belarus, despite fears of new restrictions on religious freedom and church activity.

Belarusians are voting in a closely-managed presidential election that is all but certain to extend the one-man rule of Alexander Lukashenko, in power since 1994 and Europe’s longest-serving leader.

Britain and Canada have imposed sanctions targeting the regime of Belarus' dictator president, Alexander Lukashenko, following his disputed election over the weekend to a seventh term.

Incumbent wins 86.82% of the vote, according to preliminary election results cited by state news agency - Anadolu Ajansı

Belarus’ authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko, who has been in power for over 30 years, is poised to extend his rule in an election that concludes Sunday and that the opposition dismisses as a farce.

No credible opponents were allowed to run against Alexander Lukashenko, who has ruled Belarus since the 1990s.

On Monday, the British Foreign Office sanctioned a number of individuals and entities in Belarus in response to the presidential election. Alexander Lukashenko was re-elected for a seventh five-year term with a dictatorial score of over 87% of the vote,

By Ben Aris in Berlin Incumbent Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko swept to a landslide victory in Sunday’s presidential election taking 86.82% of votes, according to preliminary results said the Central Election Commission Chairman Igor Karpenko at a press conference on January 26.