Svetlana Tikhanovskaya: "The government expects radicalization from us"

Speaking in the program of journalist Alexander Nevzorov, dedicated to the situation in Belarus, Svetlana Tikhanovskaya noted that “Belarusians are patient people,” but even their incredible patience is running out.

Several years ago, speaking about why he does not support peaceful protests, Alexander Nevzorov said: "Peaceful protests are the stupidest form of submission". Svetlana Tikhanovskaya thinks differently.

“Belarusians are patient people. But now the Belarusians have shown their true self, that they are ready to fight, only to a peaceful struggle, because there is no violence in us as in people. We don't even have the beginnings of violence, in true Belarusians, ”Tikhanovskaya said.

She noted that "there are, of course, certain people, they are radicalized, and many civilians are already running out of patience".

“It is becoming more and more difficult to keep such people, because now these repressions have affected virtually every family in Belarus, and many are already on the brink. But people must understand: the authorities are waiting for some kind of radicalization, so that they later have an excuse for their cruelty”, - said Tikhanovskaya.

According to the ex-presidential candidate in Belarus, the current authorities of the country are "playing to the public".

“Look: one stone was thrown there - they are already telling the whole world that 'there are radicals'. And they keep silent about the fact that they are beaten by thousands every weekend. They say: “We are a legal state”, - Tikhanovskaya is convinced.

Protests in Belarus began on August 9, when presidential elections were held in the country. For the sixth time in a row, the Central Election Commission awarded the victory in them to the country's long-term President Alexander Lukashenko, despite numerous falsifications. Citizens, outraged by the scale of the fraud, took to the streets, demanding Lukashenko's resignation.

Many are convinced that Tihanovskaya won the race. But Lukashenko forced her to leave the country. Tihanovskaya's husband, like many other political prisoners, is in prison. Citizens continue to go out to peaceful actions, demanding fair elections and Lukashenko's resignation. Peaceful protests are violently dispersed by security forces who beat, maim and kill unarmed protesters.