Biélorussie | Svetlana Tikhanovskaïa, la principale rivale du président, a fui le pays et s'est réfugiée en Lituanie

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Après le scrutin dimanche, elle avait enjoint le régime à "céder le pouvoir", contestant les résultats officiels donnant Alexandre Loukachenko vainqueur avec 80,08% des voix et ne lui en accordant que 10%.

L'opposante Svetlana Tikhanovskaïa, rivale à la présidentielle de l'autoritaire président biélorusse, a fui en Lituanie mardi 11 août, après une deuxième nuit de protestations contre le pouvoir violemment réprimées et ayant fait un mort.

Le ministre lituanien des Affaires étrangères, Linas Linkevicius, a indiqué qu'elle était "en sécurité" dans son pays, voisin de la Biélorussie.

Lundi soir, son équipe avait indiqué que l'opposante était injoignable et introuvable depuis son départ de la Commission électorale, où elle avait été retenue durant des heures, alors qu'elle était venue déposer une plainte pour fraude électorale.

Elle conteste les résultats de l'élection de dimanche

Svetlana Tikhanovskaïa, novice en politique, a émergé en quelques semaines comme une rivale inattendue face à Alexandre Loukachenko, 65 ans, au pouvoir depuis 26 ans. Elle avait remplacé dans la course à la présidentielle son mari, Sergueï, une vidéoblogueur en vue, après qu'il a été emprisonné en mai.

Après le scrutin dimanche, elle avait enjoint le régime à "céder le pouvoir", contestant les résultats officiels donnant Alexandre Loukachenko vainqueur avec 80,08% des voix et ne lui en accordant que 10%.

Elle a néanmoins refusé de participer aux manifestations violemment réprimées dimanche et lundi soir par les forces anti-émeutes, qui deux nuits de suite ont usé de grenades sonores, de balles en caoutchouc et procédé à nombre d'arrestations pour mater les protestations à Minsk.

Les manifestants qualifiés de "moutons"

Dans la nuit de lundi, des milliers de personnes ont manifesté à Minsk et ont tenté d'ériger des barricades dans certaines rues centrales de la capitale. Un manifestant a été tué par l'engin explosif qu'il s'apprêtait à lancer sur les forces de l'ordre, et qui a explosé dans ses mains, selon la police bélarusse.

Scandant "Honte !", les manifestants ont fait face à d'importantes forces policières qui ont aussi répliqué à coups de pieds et de matraques, selon des journalistes présents sur place et des témoins. Le président bélarusse a qualifié les manifestants de "moutons" téléguidés depuis Londres, Varsovie et Prague, martelant qu'il ne permettrait pas que le pays soit "mis en pièces". En 2010 déjà, après la présidentielle, les manifestations d'opposition avaient été sévèrement réprimées.

Ces derniers jours, les autorités ont aussi multiplié les pressions contre l'équipe de Svetlana Tikhanovskaïa, arrêtant une dizaine de ses collaborateurs. Une de ses alliées, Veronika Tsepkalo, épouse d'un opposant interdit de présidentielle, avait fui le Bélarus dimanche pour la Russie.

Varsovie demande un sommet de l'UE sur le sujet

A l'étranger, la Commission européenne, Paris, Berlin et Londres ont condamné la répression et appelé Minsk à la retenue. L'Allemagne a évoqué la possibilité de sanctions. Varsovie a demandé un sommet de l'Union européenne consacré au sujet et Washington s'est dit "grandement préoccupé".

A l'inverse, les dirigeants russe et chinois, Vladimir Poutine et Xi Jinping, ont félicité le président Loukachenko. Ce dernier avait pourtant accusé Moscou de vouloir vassaliser son pays et de chercher à le déstabiliser.

Moscou a tout de même dénoncé des interpellations de journalistes russes et réclamé la libération de 33 Russes présentés depuis fin juillet par Minsk comme des mercenaires travaillant avec l'opposition.

Source: francetvinfo.fr, Agence France-Presse, August 11, 2020

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