Belarus Investigative Committee Confirmed Tikhanovskaya Is on the International Wanted List

Svetlana Tikhanovskaya is wanted under the article on appeals to damage national security of Belarus, the Investigative Committee reported. The Investigative Committee (IC) of Belarus on Friday, October 16, confirmed that one of the opposition leaders Svetlana Tikhanovskaya was placed on the interstate wanted list. The investigation believes that Tikhanovskaya, via mass media or the Internet, called for actions meant to damage the republic's national security, BelTA state news agency reported, citing IC representative. Mass protests have been rocking Belarus for more than 2 months after the August 9 presidential elections, which, according to the Central Election Commission, were won again by Alexander Lukashenko. Speeches of citizens who defend their votes and are convinced of falsified voting results are suppressed by riot police and special forces. Security officials have repeatedly shown unprecedented cruelty when dispersing demonstrators. Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, Lukashenko's main rival in the elections, was forced to leave the country. In October, the European Union imposed sanctions on 40 officials from Belarus for electoral fraud and reprisals against protesters. Among them are the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Belarus and his deputies, as well as all CEC members. Tikhanovskaya’s “national ultimatum” against Lukashenko On October 13, Tikhanovskaya presented the current president of the country with a “people’s ultimatum” demanding that he should announce his resignation no later than October 25, completely stop violence in the streets and release all political prisoners. Otherwise, “the whole country will peacefully take to the streets,” and on October 26, “a national strike of all enterprises will begin, all roads will be blocked, sales in state stores will collapse,” Tikhanovskaya warned.