Lithuania refuses Belarusian’s extradition

VILNIUS, Lithuania — Lithuania refused Friday to extradite to Belarus opposition figure Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, with the Baltic nation’s foreign minister saying “hell will freeze over first” before the demand by Belarus’ authoritarian leader is granted.

Tsikhanouskaya lost to Alexander Lukashenko in the Aug. 9 presidential election. Official results showed Lukashenko won 80% of the vote while Tsikhanouskaya received 10%.

Tsikhanouskaya and her supporters refused to recognize the results, saying the outcome was manipulated. Unprecedented mass protests demanding Lukashenko’s resignation rocked Belarus for several months.

Tsikhanouskaya sought refuge in neighboring Lithuania right after the election as she face pressure from Belarusian authorities. On Tuesday, Belarus demanded her extradition on charges that she plotted to stage violent riots. Tsikhanouskaya’s team rejected the charges, saying she has always supported only peaceful protests.

Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis said that in his country people seeking shelter “can feel safe and no one would be handed over … because of their fight for democracy, freedom of speech or freedom of religion.”

Lukashenko’s government has unleashed a sweeping crackdown on postelection protests, the biggest of which attracted up to 200,000 people. Human-rights activists say more than 30,000 people have been detained since the demonstrations began, with thousands beaten.

The West has condemned the conduct of the election and the brutal crackdown on protesters.