Polls have opened in Belarus for a presidential election expected to see Alexander Lukashenko win a seventh term. The election lacks enthusiasm, with minimal campaigning and a disinterested Lukashenko. Many political opponents are imprisoned or in exile, and the atmosphere is described as depressed. The EU has condemned the elections as a sham, and Belarus faces significant sanctions. Human rights activists report around 1,300 political prisoners, and the country maintains a climate of fear under Lukashenko's authoritarian rule.