Belarusians vote in tightly controlled election amid calls for boycott

Belarusians were casting their votes on Sunday in tightly controlled parliamentary and local elections that seem set to continue the rule of President Alexander Lukashenko.

Mr Lukashenko has presided over the former Soviet bloc nation for nearly 30 years and has frequently accused the West of trying to use the vote to undermine his government and “destabilise” the nation of 9.5 million people.