Valery Tsepkalo, a Belarusian opposition figure who was barred from running in the upcoming presidential election, attends an interview with Reuters in Moscow, Russia July 26, 2020. REUTERS/Evgenia Novozhenina
MOSCOW (Reuters) - A presidential contender who says he fled Belarus because he feared for his freedom and custody of his children has told Reuters the country's opposition is pinning its hopes on a candidate he characterised as a latter-day Joan of Arc.
Valery Tsepkalo, who was this month barred from running in an Aug. 9 election against veteran President Alexander Lukashenko, fled to Russia with his two young sons, fearing they could be taken away, his campaign said on Friday.
