Opposition Leader Belarus Svetlana Tikhanovskaya Asks UN to Condemn Violence

Belarusian opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya called on the UN Security Council on Friday to condemn the violence that President Aleksandr Lukashenko is using to quell demonstrations.

 

She further asked the council to send an international control mission to the country.

Tikhanovskaya addressed the Security Council via video link from Lithuania, where she has sought refuge.

The former presidential candidate had been invited by Estonia, one of the non-permanent members of the council.

In Belarus, there have been massive demonstrations since the presidential elections on August 9, after President Lukashenko claimed to have won with 80 percent of the vote.

Almost everyone is convinced that this result is the result of electoral fraud. Tikhanovskaya also participated in those elections.

Authoritarian Lukashenko has ruled the former Soviet Republic for 26 years.