JRL NEWSWATCH: “‘This is a turning point in Belarusian history’ Opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya on how her presidential campaign is taking on Lukashenko” – Meduza

Map of Belarus and Environs, adapted from images at cia.gov

“… Belarus[‘s] … presidential elections [are] on August 9, [with] the 2020 race … already … deemed the dirtiest in the country’s history … [A]uthorities arrested alternative candidate Viktor Babariko and opposition leader Sergey Tikhanovsky … [A]nother would-be candidate, veteran politician Valery Tsepkalo … fled to Russia with his children. … [T]he Belarusian opposition [then] united around Svetlana Tikhanovskaya … run[ning] … in place of her husband (Sergey Tikhanovsky). … Lukashenko has been in power for 26 consecutive years. … [I]n that time, Belarus has never seen elections … considered free or fair. … [T]ens of thousands of Belarusian citizens signed up to support alternative candidates …. When Lukahsenko’s main competitors were banned from registering as candidates, protesters took to the streets. Now, the Belarusian opposition has pinned their hopes on Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, the only opposition candidate allowed to run ….”

Click here for: “‘This is a turning point in Belarusian history’ Opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya on how her presidential campaign is taking on Lukashenko” – Meduza

 

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