May 6, Pozirk. Minsk handed a note of protest to Armenian Charge d’Affaires Artur Sargsian yesterday over opposition leader Śviatłana Cichanoŭskaja’s visit to Yerevan on May 4 and 5.
The Belarusian foreign ministry described the visit as “unfriendly actions by the Armenian side.”
Cichanoŭskaja went into exile in 2020 shortly after challenging the official result of Belarus’ presidential election, which awarded victory to Alaksandar Łukašenka with just over 80 percent. Cichanoŭskaja claimed to have won a first-round victory with around 60 percent, citing an independent vote tally. International and domestic observers labelled the election as neither free nor fair.
Cichanoŭskaja met with a number of country leaders in Yerevan, including Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.
