The family of imprisoned Belarusian opposition figure hasn't heard from her for over 400 days
Time:2024-05-22 11:29:58 Source:travelViews(143)
TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — It’s been 434 days since the family of imprisoned Belarusian opposition figure Maria Kolesnikova heard from her, her relatives said Wednesday, on the activist’s 42nd birthday.
Kolesnikova, who is serving 11 years in prison for helping organize anti-government protests in Belarus in 2020, and other imprisoned opposition figures have been held incommunicado for months on end, raising fears for their well-being.
“It’s the fourth birthday that Maria spends behind bars, and recently we received information that her health is deteriorating and we don’t know if she’s being treated at all,” her sister Tatsiana Khomich told Belarusian media. Khomich added that the last letter the family received from Kolesnikova came in February 2023, and bits and pieces of news about her trickle through other inmates.
Belarus was rocked by mass protests after an election in 2020 that gave authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko his sixth term in office — a vote that was denounced by the West and the opposition as fraudulent. Authorities responded by arresting more than 35,000 people and brutally beating thousands of them. Many top opposition figures were arrested and given long prison terms, while others fled abroad.
Previous:Turkish Airlines resumes flights to Afghanistan nearly 3 years after the Taliban captured Kabul
You may also like
- Israel's block of AP transmission shows how ambiguity in law could restrict war coverage
- Int'l Tourism Festival Featuring Frozen Waterfalls Opens at Jiuzhaigou National Park
- Movies Featuring Women's Strength Popular in China's Cinema
- Woman's 'Home' a Pillar of Strength for Families with Sick Kids
- Over 1 million claims related to toxic exposure granted under new veterans law, Biden announces
- Daughter Travels 1,600 Km to Pick up Mother for Reunion
- People Bustle on the First Day of 2024 in Relocation Sites of NW China's Gansu, Qinghai
- Push for More Parental Care Leave Gathers Pace
- ESPN reaches 4