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'''Alexander Grigoryevich Lukashenko''' (b. August 30, 1954) is the autocratically ruling president of [[Belarus]] since 1994. During his tenure, he has been admonished by the [[United States]], [[European Union]] and other organizations for suppressing [[democracy]] and trying to re-instill [[Soviet Union|Soviet]] practices on the country. Due to unfair election practices, such as accusations of squashing free press and election rigging, Lukashenko was issued travel bans by the United States and the EU.  

'''Alexander Grigoryevich Lukashenko''' (born August 30, 1954) is the autocratically ruling president of [[Belarus]] since 1994. During his tenure, he has been admonished by the [[United States]], [[European Union]] and other organizations for suppressing [[democracy]] and trying to re-instill [[Soviet Union|Soviet]] practices on the country. Due to unfair election practices, such as accusations of squashing free press and election rigging, Lukashenko was issued travel bans by the United States and the EU.  

Lukashenko calls himself an "Orthodox [[Atheism|Atheist]]".<ref>http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8021513.stm</ref>

Lukashenko calls himself an "Orthodox [[Atheism|Atheist]]".<ref>http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8021513.stm</ref>

== Pre-politics ==

== Pre-politics ==

Lukashenko was born in Kopys, a city in the Vitebsk oblast in 1954. After high school, Lukashenko graduated from Mogilev State University and the Belarusian Agricultural Academy and served time with the Soviet Frontier (Border) Guards. <ref>http://www.president.gov.by/en/press10003.html</ref>

Lukashenko was born in Kopys, a city in the Vitebsk oblast in 1954. After high school, Lukashenko graduated from Mogilev State University and the Belarusian Agricultural Academy and served time with the Soviet Frontier (Border) Guards.<ref>http://www.president.gov.by/en/press10003.html</ref>

== Politics ==

== Politics ==

Before Lukashenko was the president of Belarus, he was the secretary of the [[Communist Party of the Soviet Union]]. He said that he was the only member of parliament who voted against the indepence of Belarus from the Soviet Union. He is still a sympathizer of the USSR. Belarus is the only country whose intelligence service uses the name [[KGB]]. In 1994 he was democratically elected as the president of Belarus. In his tenure he started to control courts, banks and universities, installed a dictatorship and started to improve the relationships with [[Russia]], [[Kazakhstan]] and [[Venezuela]]. The following elections were rigged and opposition groups forbidden and persecuted.<ref>http://www.nationalreview.com/node/257729/print</ref> Only the russian pro-lukashenko observers called the election fair, during the [[OSCE]] criticized them.<ref>http://cnsnews.com/node/17466</ref> Protesters against the government were arrested.<ref>http://www.foxnews.com/story/2006/03/23/belarus-police-break-up-protest-arrest-nearly-200/</ref>  

Before Lukashenko was the president of Belarus, he was the secretary of the [[Communist Party of the Soviet Union]]. He said that he was the only member of parliament who voted against the indepence of Belarus from the Soviet Union. He is still a sympathizer of the USSR. Belarus is the only country whose intelligence service uses the name [[KGB]]. In 1994 he was democratically elected as the president of Belarus. In his tenure he started to control courts, banks and universities, installed a dictatorship and started to improve the relationships with [[Russia]], [[Kazakhstan]] and [[Venezuela]]. The following elections were rigged and opposition groups forbidden and persecuted.<ref>http://www.nationalreview.com/node/257729/print</ref> Only the russian pro-lukashenko observers called the election fair, during the [[OSCE]] criticized them.<ref>http://cnsnews.com/node/17466</ref> Protesters against the government were arrested.<ref>http://www.foxnews.com/story/2006/03/23/belarus-police-break-up-protest-arrest-nearly-200/</ref>