11.   He also claimed that foreign countries were overreacting because of their bias against Belarus, whose authoritarian president has been criticized in the West.

12.   Human rights groups have criticized the authoritarian president for his crackdowns on political opponents and the media.

13.   However, the authoritarian president still commands a solid lead in the election race according to opinion polls.

14.   In speeches at the rally, opposition leaders complained that Lukashenko, an authoritarian president who would like to revive the Soviet Union, has consistently violated human rights.

15.   International officials judged the elections free but unfair, due to state media that were heavily biassed in favor of the authoritarian president.

16.   It was another clear indication that the authoritarian president will not tolerate any local media criticism of himself, his government or his policies.

17.   Lukashenko is an authoritarian president who is openly nostalgic for the Soviet Union.

18.   Lukashenko, an authoritarian president who has almost unlimited power in Belarus, has persecuted independent media and opposition groups in the past.

19.   Never before has the opposition had the strength and unity to oust its authoritarian president.

20.   On the other hand, some opposition leaders expect the authoritarian president to make a last-ditch effort to keep control of the capital.