Belarus activist goes missing, colleagues fear detention

A number one opposition activist and several other different members of an opposition council in Belarus went lacking Monday and their colleagues feared they have been detained as a part of the authorities’ efforts to squelch almost a month of protests in opposition to the re-election of the nation’s authoritarian chief.

Maria Kolesnikova, a member of the Coordination Council created by the opposition to facilitate talks with President Alexander Lukashenko on a transition of energy, was reportedly placed on a minibus within the capital, Minsk, and pushed away by unidentified individuals.

Her disappearance follows a large rally Sunday that drew an estimated 100,000 protesters pushing for the resignation of Lukashenko, who prolonged his 26-year rule within the Aug. 9 election that the opposition sees as rigged.

A council member, Maxim Znak, stated Kolesnikova’s colleagues fear she was detained. Two different members of the council additionally couldn’t be reached on Monday, in keeping with Znak.

Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linas Linkevicius tweeted that Kolesnikova’s disappearance is a part of the Belarusian authorities’ effort to “cynically eliminate one by one” and known as for her rapid launch.

The Belarusian Interior Ministry stated it hasn’t detained Kolesnikova, whereas different regulation enforcement companies have stored mum.

After a brutal crackdown within the first few days after the vote that stoked worldwide outrage and swelled the ranks of protesters, the authorities have switched to threats and selective arrests of opposition activists and demonstrators.

Sunday’s demonstrations in Minsk and different cities went on regardless of the authorities’ warning that individuals may face reprisals. The Interior Ministry stated 633 individuals have been detained Sunday for collaborating in unsanctioned protests.

Targeting the protest leaders, Belarusian prosecutors have opened a legal probe of the Coordination Council that opposition activists arrange after the election to attempt to negotiate a transition of energy. Two of its members got 10-day jail sentences on expenses of staging unsanctioned protests final week. One of them, Olga Kovalkova, stated she was pressured to depart for Poland over the weekend after being threatened with an extended jail time period.

Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, the principle opposition challenger within the election, who moved to Lithuania a day after the vote underneath stress from authorities, stated Monday that Kolesnikova’s disappearance marked one other try by the federal government to intimidate the opposition.

“It’s an attempt to derail the work of the Coordination Council, but we will not be stopped,” she stated. “The more they try to scare us, the more people will take to the streets. We will continue our struggle and push for the release of all political prisoners and a new, fair election.” Last week, Kolesnikova introduced the creation of a brand new celebration, Together.

She stated the transfer will assist overcome the present disaster, however the celebration founders’ name for constitutional modifications has surprised another opposition council members, who argued that it may divert consideration from the principle purpose of pushing for Lukashenko to step down.