Belarusian opposition leader to address French parliament amid unrest

On September 28, Belarusian opposition leader, Svetlana Tikhanovskaya met with French President Emmanuel Macron in Vilnius, Lithuania on the second day of his visit to Baltic countries to reassure France’s security commitments, an Elysée official confirmed, according to a Politico report. Tikhanovskaya is expected to address France's parliament, as she told local media reporters that the French President agreed to negotiate with Belarus and secure the release of demonstrators amid Belarus’ political crisis. Tikhanovskaya had fled into exile in Vilnius over the fear of detention by the disputed Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko. 

In what is being called as one most “high-profile” meeting between the Belarusian opposition leader and France’s President, the European nation agreed to be a political mediator and help resolve the political fallout in Belarus. In a press address, Macron urged Belarus authorities to stop committing the human rights abuse and unlawful arrests against the citizens and demanded the immediate release of the arbitrarily detained protesters by the Belarusian security forces.

[French President Emmanuel Macron gestures as he is welcomed by Lithuanian President, Gitanas Nauseda, at the Presidential palace in Vilnius, Lithuania. Credit: AP]

He further demanded the autocratic leader to “honour” the will of the people and respect elections. The Belarusian opposition leader had also addressed the UN Human Rights Council and the European Parliament asking the European countries’ ministers for The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) mediation for the situation in Belarus. 

“We had a very good discussion. Now we need to be pragmatic and to support Belarus people and we will do all that,” AP quoted Macron.

Read: Belarus Leader Alexander Lukashenko ‘has To Go’, Says French President Emmanuel Macron

Read: Belarus Tells UN Sanctions Would Be 'harmful For Everyone'

Citizens demand Lukashenko's ouster

Earlier, the Belarus security forces made detention of hundreds of protesters after they flooded the streets in a “people’s inauguration of the real president” Tikhanovskaya rally, voicing support of opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya. Officers in riot gear fired stun grenades and tear has to disperse the mob, and dragged scores of demonstrators into the van, according to Associated Press’ sources.

Citizens demanded the authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko's ouster for the 50th consecutive day into the seventh week. French President Emmanuel Macron asked Lukashenko to “step down” citing the humanitarian crisis at the civilian's protests, as he said in a press conference that the Belarus leader “must go.”Macron said there was a power crisis in Belarus with an authoritarian administration that is not able to accept the logic of democracy. 

[People with old Belarusian national flags march during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus.]

Read: Belarus: Makei Says Foreign Interference Might Be Harmful, Asks States To Show 'wisdom'

Read: Belarus Police Use Tear Gas, Detain Protesters

(Images Credit: AP)