Lithuania has turned down the extradition request by Belarusian Investigative Committee for the opposition figure and former presidential candidate Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, the country's foreign ministry told Sputnik on Wednesday
VILNIUS (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 03rd March, 2021) Lithuania has turned down the extradition request by Belarusian Investigative Committee for the opposition figure and former presidential candidate Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, the country's foreign ministry told Sputnik on Wednesday.
The Belarusian Investigative Committee on Tuesday initiated extradition of Tikhanovskaya, who fled to Lithuania after the election.
"Lithuania does not extradite people who suffer political persecution. Minsk knows that perfectly well," the ministry said in a statement.
Belarus has been in a prolonged political crisis after the August 9 presidential election, won by incumbent President Alexander Lukashenko. The opposition has not recognized the results, claiming that Tikhanovskaya was the real winner. The dispute resulted in mass protests across the country. Several Western countries, including the United States and the European Union, have slapped sanctions on Belarusian officials deemed responsible for alleged electoral fraud and protest suppression.
