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Missing Belarusian opposition politician Maria Kolesnikova has been kidnapped, according to the Coordination Council of the Movement for Democracy. “Her whereabouts are unknown,” the body charged with a peaceful change of power in Minsk said on Monday. The 38-year-old woman was abducted by unknown persons in the center of Minsk, along with her colleague Ivan Kravzov and his spokesman Anton Rodnenkow. “The Coordination Council demands immediate release,” he said.
In the course of protests in Belarus against authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko, not only did Kolesnikova disappear, but the country’s former green leader, Irina Sukhiy, was apparently also arrested. The president of the German Greens, Robert Habeck, received this message. According to a party spokeswoman, the information came from the European Green Party (EGP). It must be assumed that “the regime is taking brutal measures against the protesters,” Habeck said. “The many words of solidarity must now be backed by action.” EU entry bans should be issued against those who use violence against protesters and assets should be frozen. The measures should also be directed against “Lukashenko himself.”
Foreign Ministers Maas and Raab are “seriously concerned”
According to internal sources, the EU is preparing punitive measures against 31 members and high-ranking government authorities due to the controversial presidential election in Belarus. Among them is Interior Minister Yuri Karaew, the Reuters news agency learned from three EU diplomats. “Initially we agreed on 14 names,” said one of them. “But many states felt this was not enough. We have now reached consensus on 17 others.” These are the ones responsible for the election, the violence and the actions of the government against the protesters. A formal agreement should be reached at the EU foreign ministers meeting on September 21. In previous press reports, up to 19 people had been attacked.
German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas asked Belarusian leaders to provide information on Kolesnikova’s fate on Monday. “We are very concerned about Ms. Kolesnikowa,” Maas told the “Bild” newspaper. “We demand clarity on the whereabouts and release of all political prisoners in Belarus. The continuous arrests and repressions, also and above all against the members of the Coordination Council, are unacceptable,” said the SPD politician, referring to the opposition body. And: “Anyone who sees the images of the peaceful demonstrations in Minsk cannot turn a blind eye to the fact that the people are demanding a change in politics and leadership style.”
His British counterpart Dominic Raab also spoke. He is seriously concerned for Kolesnikova’s well-being, he said. “The Lukashenko regime must make his safe return a top priority.” The EU Foreign Affairs representative, Josep Borrell, called on the Minsk authorities to “immediately release” political opponents. The EU expects “the immediate release of all those who were imprisoned for political reasons before and after the fraudulent presidential elections on August 9,” Borrell said on Monday.
Trapped in a minibus
The media had previously reported, citing a witness, that Kolesnikova had been placed in a minibus. Authorities have not yet released any information on the whereabouts, the council said. “We can see that in recent days the authorities have started to use terrorist methods openly instead of engaging in dialogue with society.” The RIA news agency reported that Belarusian police were checking whether Kolesnikova had been abducted.
Kolesnikova is one of the most important opposition figures against the head of state Alexander Lukashenko. She is also a member of the coordinating council. The authoritarian head of state is taking action against the body and has already arrested several members.
Following Kolesnikova’s disappearance, opposition politician Svetlana Tichanowskaya spoke of an attempt by the government to hinder the work of the Coordination Council. “But that won’t stop us,” he wrote on the Telegram news channel. The more the authorities intimidated people, the more people took to the streets.
Presidential candidate Svetlana Tichanowaskaja fled to the EU country Lithuania after the elections.
Meanwhile, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linas Linkevicius has clearly blamed the Minsk government for the disappearance of opposition leader Kolesnikova and called for her immediate release. “The abduction of M. Kolesnikova in the center of Minsk is a disgrace,” Linkevicius wrote on Twitter.
“Instead of talking to the people of Belarus, the outgoing leadership is cynically trying to eliminate one by one.” This is reminiscent of Stalinist methods.
Protests against the controversial presidential election
Kolesnikova works for former bank director Viktor Babariko, who wanted to run for president. She is also on the Presidium of the Coordination Council, which seeks a peaceful change of power. Kolesnikowa had lived in Stuttgart for many years and managed cultural projects from there. Kolesnikova repeatedly appeared at protests and was cheered on by protesters. She marched with the large rally on Sunday in Minsk.
The background to the protests is the presidential elections of more than four weeks ago. Lukashenko was then declared the winner with 80.1 percent of the votes. However, the opposition considers Tichanovskaya to be the real winner. The vote is criticized internationally for being grossly falsified.
Former incumbent Alexander Lukashenko emerged victorious from the August 9 presidential election. The opposition accuses him of fraud. Since the vote, mass protests in the country formerly known as Belarus have not stopped. The authorities take massive measures against the protesters and have arrested hundreds of people.
The EU prepares sanctions against people
As it became known on Monday, according to internal sources, the EU is preparing punitive measures against 31 members and high-ranking government authorities due to the presidential elections in Belarus. Among them is Interior Minister Yuri Karaew, the Reuters news agency learned from three EU diplomats.
“Initially we agreed on 14 names,” said one of them. “But many states felt this was not enough. We have now reached consensus on 17 others.” These are the ones responsible for the election, the violence and the actions of the government against the protesters. A formal agreement should be reached at the EU foreign ministers meeting on September 21. In previous press reports, up to 19 people had been attacked. (apa, reuters)
