DISINFO: USA admits that they support strikes in Belarus
SUMMARY
Stephen Biegun, US Undersecretary of State, has announced that the US supports the strikes and protests in Belarus and asks Russia not to interfere. The US State Department says it is not meddling, not supporting anyone, and at the same time, it says it supports the strikes and protests, and Russia must stay out of it. Shouldn’t Russia, too, learn how to do things this way?
RESPONSE
This is a deliberate misinterpretation of US Undersecretary of State Stephen Biegun's words, and a a recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative related to Belarus. The US diplomat did not speak about supporting the protesters - he condemned the violence against Belarusians by the regime of Alexander Lukashenko. The US Undersecretary of State has called for the immediate release of all political prisoners, as well as illegally detained citizens. The diplomat warned that Russia should not "support such a regime that uses violence against civilians. Also earlier, the American diplomat stressed that the United States does not intend to interfere in the internal affairs of Belarus and that it is up to the Belarusian people to decide the course of events in their country. Stephen Biegun has said:
"We urge the government of Belarus to accept the OSCE chair's offer to facilitate dialogue and engage all stakeholders... The United States cannot, and will not, decide the course of events in Belarus. This is the right of the Belarusian people"
Rallies of thousands broke out after Aleksandr Lukashenko declared that he had “won a convincing victory” in the elections.