Latest Belarus News
Belarus grants asylum to fugitive Polish judge wanted on spying allegations
TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — Belarus has granted asylum to a former Polish judge who faced espionage charges at home following his defection in May to the Kremlin-allied country. A decree published Friday by Alexander Lukashenko, Belarus’ autocratic president, described Tomasz Szmydt...
Pakistani court bars party of jailed former PM from rallying on eve of visit by Belarus president
ISLAMABAD (AP) — A court in Pakistan's capital has barred the party of imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan from holding a planned rally in Islamabad on Sunday on the eve of an official visit by the president of Belarus. The ruling Thursday was a setback for supporters of...
Belarus opposition figure extradited from Vietnam faces terrorism charges, possible death penalty
TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — A Belarusian opposition figure was detained in Vietnam and extradited to Belarus, where he is facing charges of terrorism and possibly a death penalty, the opposition said Thursday. The arrest of Vasil Verameichyk, 34, is the latest in an unrelenting...
Russia's ally Belarus targets hundreds for showing solidarity with Ukraine during the war
TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — Hundreds of people in Belarus who have shown solidarity with Ukraine have been arrested in a sweeping crackdown under authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko, a key ally of Russia in the war, human rights activists said Wednesday. At least 1,671...
Belarus police launch sweeping anti-riot drills ahead of January's election
TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — Belarusian police on Tuesday launched sweeping anti-riot drills ahead of January’s election in which authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko is seeking a seventh term, a signal from the authorities that they wouldn't tolerate any protests. Interior...
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...
Earth's biggest polluters aren't sending leaders to UN climate talks in a year of weather extremes
BAKU, Azerbaijan (AP) — World leaders converged Tuesday at the United Nations annual climate conference with plenty of big names and powerful countries noticeably absent. Past talks often had the star power of a soccer World Cup. But the meeting just getting underway in Azerbaijan...
Belarus' hardline president releases 31 political prisoners but crackdown persists
TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — Belarus's authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko, who has led a harsh crackdown on opposition, pardoned and released 31 political prisoners, his office announced Thursday. The names of those released were not announced, but Lukashenko's office said...
