Belarus Opposition Leader Calls For Austria Mediation

Vienna, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 26th Apr, 2021 ) :Belarusia's exiled opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya urged Austria on Monday to act as mediator in the political crisis in Belarus and said the international community needed to do more to help the pro-democracy movement in her country.

"We are looking for partners who can be mediators for these negotiations and Austria was one of the leading participants of these mediations," she told AFP. "So we came here to discuss once again on the possibility of organising any meetings at the expert level or just round-tables that will lead us to negotiations with (President Alexander) Lukashenko.

" The Belarusian strongman claimed victory for a sixth term in August elections that were widely criticised internationally and by the opposition as fraudulent.

Tikhanovskaya, who says she won the vote, fled abroad after state authorities arrested hundreds of people taking part in mass protests and sentenced many to lengthy jail terms.

The 38-year-old opposition leader told AFP those jailed were being tortured and urged the international community to act more forcefully with Lukashenko's regime and to impose tougher sanctions.