Belarus presidential candidate receives threats

MINSK: Belarus presidential candidate Svetlana Tikhanouskaya receives threats that her children will be taken away if she did not quit the race.

She has sent her 4-year-old daughter and 10-year-old son to a safer and undisclosed location where they can be safe.

Svetlana Tikhanouskaya joined the presidential race to topple President Lukashenko in the August 9 election after her husband was arrested in May. Her husband, Syarhei Tikhanouski is a well known anti-Lukashenko blogger.

The opposition journalist Nataliya Radina said the presidential candidate turned to her for help and her team decided to help her as Svetlana Tikhanouskaya was really threatened. She has been threatened with arrest and that her children will be taken away from her.

According to Nataliya Radina the children are now safe with their grandmother.

According to tut.by Svetlana Tikhanouskaya also recorded a video message stating that she received threats regarding her participation in the elections. She said

I am in Gomel, I came here to start handing over the signatures collected in my support, and on the threshold of one of the administrations, I received a call with threats to my address and to my children with the condition that I should not continue this trip. I have a choice before me – children or further struggle, I think my choice will be obvious. I ask you to treat any decision I make with understanding. I want to say that if Sergei were free, he would have told you not to give up

Lukashenko has ruled Belarus since 1994, but now faces challenges and grievances over economy, human rights and dismissal of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Belarus Protest

The people of Belarus are now fed up with Lukashenko regime brutality and repression.

The videos of protest share on social media can clearly show the police brutality against the peaceful protesters.

The protest flared up and people took to streets after the Country’s Election Commission refused to register two of the presidential candidates.

People across Belarus are fed up with Lukashenko regime brutality and repression. "The human capacity for patience and endurance, in the face of blatant injustice, is not without limits." (🗒️ @HannaLiubakova) #FreeBelarus pic.twitter.com/KFVVqLnEpA
— Anonymous (@YourAnonCentral) July 15, 2020

The main take from today's protests in Belarus is that people are becoming increasingly organised and are no longer afraid of the police. Instead, they respond to violence with violence. Dozens of fights broke out with police tonight and they were often beaten and had to retreat: pic.twitter.com/a8iK5577oE
— Tadeusz Giczan (@TadeuszGiczan) July 14, 2020

Journalist Andy Smythe wrote on twitter

On Tuesday, I was was arrested in Belarus. I was one of 15 journalists detained, while reporting on peaceful anti-government protests in Minsk. We watched hundreds of protesters snatched on the street by police and KGB. This is the just some of the footage they tried to delete

On Tuesday, I was was arrested in Belarus. I was one of 15 journalists detained, while reporting on peaceful anti-government protests in Minsk. We watched hundreds of protesters snatched on the street by police and KGB. This is the just some of the footage they tried to delete pic.twitter.com/BhRCArw1bX
— Andy Smythe (@acsmythe) July 16, 2020