aug 1, 2009 - Bell's contract with Lukashenko expires

Description:

In August 2009, Bell said the 12-month contract with Lukashenko had expired.

In later interviews, he said Bell Pottinger resigned the account after it became clear Lukashenko was not going to make the changes necessary to make the good PR a reality.

In one interview, Bell said; “The reason I worked for him is because he told me that he was going to try and make the democracy in Belarus work much better, have fairer elections, release the people who were in prison for political reasons. That he did. He released 18 people.”

“Unfortunately, after six months, it became quite clear he wasn't going to do that. So we resigned the account and walked away.”