Belarus’ presidential opposition candidate Svetlana Tikhanovskaya has fled to neighboring Lithuania, citing her children’s safety, amid violent protests in the country following the controversial re-election of President Alexander Lukashenko.
In a video posted on YouTube on Tuesday, Tikhanovskaya said she had made the “very difficult decision” after receiving anonymous threats to her children.
“You know, I thought that this whole campaign had really toughened me up and given me so much strength that I could handle anything,” Tikhanovskaya said.
“But probably, I’m still the weak woman I was in the first place. I have made a very difficult decision for myself,” she said, also urging protesters not to oppose police and to avoid putting their lives in danger.
“And I know that many people will understand me, many will judge me, and many will hate me. But, you know, God forbid being faced with such a choice that I was faced with,” she said.
Lithuania’s Foreign Minister Linas Linkevicius also confirmed in a Twitter post on Tuesday that Tikhanouskaya had traveled to Lithuania.
Tikhanouskaya, 37, who was an English teacher, entered the presidential race after authorities jailed her husband, Sergei Tikhanovsky, a popular blogger who intended to run.
Her campaign posed the biggest challenge in years to Lukashenko, who has ruled the ex-Soviet country of 9.5 million since 1994.
Meanwhile, the situation remained tense in Belarus for the third consecutive night amid public fury at Lukashenko’s re-election.
Security forces fired rubber bullets and stun grenades to disperse a thousands-strong crowd rallying against long-time ruler Lukashenko,and accusing him of manipulating the vote.
Also on Monday night, fierce scuffles broke out between police and protesters when thousands of people poured out into the streets of the capital, Minsk, after official results showed that Lukashenko had won a sixth consecutive term, winning over 80 percent of the vote. A man lost his life during the clashes.
Police used rubber bullets, stun grenades, batons, and tear gas to disperse the protesters, who responded with stones and fireworks and set up makeshift barricades.
Similar unrest and clashes were reported in other towns as well.
The disputed election has drawn criticism from the European Union (EU). Germany has called for the re-imposition of EU sanctions on the former Soviet republic.
Official results showed that Tikhanouskaya had garnered merely 10 percent of the votes. Her support rallies had drawn tens of thousands of supporters across the country.
President Lukashenko is also facing criticism over his handling of the coronavirus epidemic and an economic crisis in the country.
This article has been adapted from its original source.
