MINSK, October 26 - RAPSI, Alexei Buchkin. Former Belarusian presidential candidate Andrei Sannikov has requested political asylum in the UK, the Belarusian Charter 97 portal has reported on Friday.

"This was a tough decision for me," the portal quoted him as saying. "But believe me, there was no way out - either to be tortured in prison again or to be as quiet as a grave."

Sannikov said he is determined to continue his political activity. "I will go on being a Belarusian politician," he said. "I will continue reporting the truth about my country and I will work to ensure specific democratic assistance measures are taken for Belarus."

Sannikov ran for president in the 2010 election. He is the leader of the European Belarus party and a former deputy foreign minister.

He was sentenced to five years in prison for organizing mass protests after the December 19, 2010 elections. He was pardoned by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko in 2012.