Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, the main opposition candidate in Sunday’s disputed elections in Belarus, has left the country after an apparent threat to her children. Before leaving Belarus, Tikhanovskaya appeared to have been forced to read a statement on camera calling on her supporters not to attend anti-government rallies. Her husband, a popular YouTuber who was blocked from the elections, has been in jail in Belarus since May. She had returned to Belarus one day earlier from Russia, where her husband, a former presidential candidate, had also fled last month. According to the elections commission Tikhanovskaya took just 10.09% of the vote, while Lukashenko won 80.08%.

Source: The Guardian August 11, 2020 06:33 UTC