Latest Belarus government News
Belarus has arrested scores of relatives of dissidents ahead of presidential vote, activists say
TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — Belarusian authorities have detained over 100 relatives of political prisoners in a new wave of arrests ahead of January’s election in which authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko is seeking a seventh term, rights activists said Friday. The Viasna...
Imprisoned Belarus activist Maria Kolesnikova is considering asking for a pardon, her father says
TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — Imprisoned Belarusian opposition activist Maria Kolesnikova is considering asking the country's authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko for a pardon after more than four years behind bars, her father said Wednesday. Alexander Kolesnikov spoke to The...
Imprisoned Belarus activist resurfaces after no contact with her family for 20 months
TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — Imprisoned Belarusian opposition activist Maria Kolesnikova has resurfaced after more than 20 months without any communication with relatives or friends and met with her father, a human rights group said Tuesday. Kolesnikova, one of the most popular and...
Belarusian authorities launch a new wave of repression ahead of presidential vote
TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — Belarusian authorities have launched a new wave of arrests, seeking to uproot any sign of dissent ahead of January's election in which authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko is seeking a seventh term, rights campaigners said. The Viasna human rights...
Belarus' authoritarian ruler will face only token challengers in presidential vote
TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — Belarus' election commission on Monday allowed seven politicians loyal to President Alexander Lukashenko to start collecting signatures to run against him in January's election, in an apparent bid to create a semblance of competition to the longtime authoritarian ruler. ...
A 22-year-old political prisoner has died in Belarus, rights campaigners say
A 22-year-old political prisoner has died behind bars in Belarus, the country's oldest human rights group said Saturday. Russian-born Dmitriy Schletgauer, who had been serving a 12-year sentence for espionage and “facilitating extremist activities” is the seventh dissenter to...
A dissident film director from Belarus is released after 1 year of detention in Serbia
BERLIN (AP) — A noted Belarusian film director and dissident who was held in Serbia for a year while Belarus sought his extradition has been released and gone to Germany. Andrei Hniot told The Associated Press that Serbian authorities released him from house arrest on Thursday,...
Belarus sets a Jan. 26 election that's almost certain to extend its authoritarian leader's rule
TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — Lawmakers in Belarus on Wednesday set the next presidential election for Jan. 26, a vote almost certain to extend the three-decade rule of authoritarian leader Alexander Lukashenko, who has suppressed all political dissent. Exiled opposition leader Sviatlana...
Belarus adds 1 year to imprisoned opposition activist's sentence
TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — A court in Belarus on Tuesday sentenced an imprisoned opponent of hardline President Alexander Lukashenko to an additional year behind bars for disobeying prison officials. Palina Sharenda-Panasyuk was arrested in 2021 during the crackdown on opposition that...
Imprisoned Belarus activist who was a symbol of defiance hasn't been heard from for months
TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — The last time any of Maria Kolesnikova's family had contact with the imprisoned Belarusian opposition activist was more than 18 months ago. Fellow inmates at the penal colony reported hearing her plead for medical help from inside her tiny and smelly cell. ...
