VIDEO: My Husband and Other Political Prisoners Are Behind Bars, but He Asks You Not to Sit Idly By - Tikhanovskaya

Opposition candidate Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, who took second place in the presidential elections in Belarus, has recorded a new video message congratulating her husband, the blogger Sergey, who is currently imprisoned, on his birthday, as reported by the RIA Novosti agency.

"My husband, Sergey Tikhanovsk, asks me to convey his words to you. He and other political prisoners are now behind bars, but he asks you not to sit idly by, but to do everything you can to live well," she noted, adding that her husband is accused of a crime he did not commit.

Sergey Tikhanovsk is a blogger who attempted to register as a presidential candidate this spring but was denied registration. His wife, Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, submitted his documents before the deadline for applications.

As reported earlier, Tikhanovskaya announced the day before that she is ready to become the national leader of the country until new elections are conducted. "I am ready to take responsibility and act as a national leader during that period, so that the country calms down and returns to its normal rhythm," she explained.

Since the presidential elections held on August 9, protests have continued in Belarus, with participants expressing their dissatisfaction with the election results, which declared incumbent President Alexander Lukashenko the winner with 80 percent of the votes, while Tikhanovskaya received only 10.12 percent.