Belarusian Investigative Committee Seeks Tikhanovskaya's Extradition

MINSK (Sputnik) - The Belarusian Investigative Committee announced on Tuesday it was initiating extradition of ex-presidential candidate Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, who fled to Lithuania amid unrest after the election.

"Tikhanovskaya is on the wanted list. Relevant documents for her extradition have been submitted to the prosecutor general's office," the investigative committee said in a statement.

Tikhanovskaya was also put on the interstate wanted list in Belarus and Russia in October, over her calls for overthrowing the constitutional order.

Belarusian women with umbrellas in the colors of the old Belarusian national flag attend an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus, Saturday, Oct. 17, 2020. More then one hundred women marched through the Belarusian capital on Saturday to protest against political repressions and demand a new election. Several participants in the rally were detained.

© AP Photo

Tikhanovskaya's Team Refutes Claims Politician Plotted Unrest in Belarus

The press service of Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, Belarusian opposition leader and a former presidential candidate, refuted on Tuesday claims that the politician plotted unrest and public buildings takeover in the country.

"Svetlana Tikhanovskaya's team has been and keeps communicating with a huge number of Belarusian people throughout the election campaign and months of protests after the election. Some of them remain in favor of radical measures, but Svetlana Tikhanovskaya has never participated in developing such plans," the press service said in a statement.

"One can notice in the released video that she left the room in order not to continue the discussion," Tikhanovskaya's press service continued, stressing that the politician and her team "have always supported only peaceful methods."

Belarus entered a prolonged political crisis after Lukashenko secured his sixth term during the 9 August presidential election. The opposition did not recognise the results, claiming that Svetlana Tikhanovskaya was the real winner.