A Tipperary family has expressed concern for the safety of the opposition candidate in last weekends Belarusian presidential elections.
Svetlana Tikhanovskaya spent a number of summers in the Premier County when she was a child as part of the Chernobyl Lifeline project.
She has been described as ‘safe’ after fleeing Belarus following a disputed poll.
Her whereabouts’ had been unknown up to last night but is now said to be in Lithuania, according to the country’s foreign minister.
Protests have been taking place in Belarus since Sunday’s count, which has been marred by allegations of vote-rigging.
Henry Deane, whose family hosted Ms Tikhanovskaya in Roscrea as a child, says they’re worried for her given what’s happening.
“President Lukashenko has cut off the internet and I was told yesterday evening that there would be no point in trying to contact through mobile text devices because they would be cut off also.”
“He has virtually shut down the country because he has never experienced such opposition in his 26 year reign.”
