Belarus leader denies repression a year after disputed vote

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko speaks during an annual press conference in Minsk, Belarus (Nikolay Petrov/BelTA photo via AP)

Belarus’s authoritarian leader has denied that his government unleashed harsh repression of dissent after his re-election a year ago triggered a months-long wave of mass protests.

President Alexander Lukashenko also promised to step down “very soon” but would not say when exactly.