Belarus opposition leader thanks religious groups for support

Belarusian opposition leer Sviatlana Tsikhauskaya on Sunday expressed her gratitude to religious communities all around world for ir support for her country's democracy movement.

Tsikhauskaya, who was forced to flee to Lithuania earlier this year, was dressing a church service in Berlin.

''Every fraternal gesture, every sign of solidarity breaks walls down,'' she said. "Every expression of trust, every act of support, builds a new bridge."

Mass protests have gripped Belarus ever since official results from August 9 presidential election gave President Alexander Lukashenko a landslide victory.

Tsikhauskaya and her supporters refused to recognize result, saying ballot was rigged.