Belarus leader Lukashenko signs law threatening to imprison protesters
Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko during a meeting in Minsk in May. Photo: Dmitry Astakhov/Pool/AFP via Getty Images
Protesters in Belarus can be sentenced to up to three years in prison if they've been punished for attending at least two unauthorized demonstrations over a year, according to a new law authoritarian President Aleksandr Lukashenko signed on Tuesday, AP reports.
Why it matters: It's the latest example of a fierce crackdown on dissent in the country. It comes as Lukashenko has faced months of protests after he claimed a sixth term through a blatantly rigged election in August and global backlash after he diverted a flight to Minsk last month to arrest an opposition activist.
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