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Witnesses said unknown men arrested Kalesnikava in central Minsk on Monday morning and took her away in a minibus marked “Communications”.
German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas has expressed deep concern about the fate of a Belarusian opposition figure: “We demand clarity on the whereabouts and release of all Belarusian political prisoners.”
“The continuous arrests and repression, including – and especially – against members of the Coordinating Council, are unacceptable,” the German minister, whose country currently holds the presidency of the European Union, told Bild in an interview.
Maas said Berlin and EU partners were urgently preparing a sanctions package against Alexander Lukashenko’s regime.
“We have repeatedly asked Mr. Lukashenko to enter into a dialogue with all national forces. That did not happen, said the head of German diplomacy. – On the contrary, a wave of repression hits the opposition, which is ready for dialogue. That one. it’s the wrong address. “
“If Mr Lukashenko does not change course, we in the EU will react,” Maas promised.
The Opposition Coordination Council reported that Kalesnikava had been “abducted by unknown persons in the center of Minsk”. Ivan Kravcov, executive secretary of the Coordination Council, and Anton Radniankov, press secretary, also disappeared.
“His whereabouts are unknown,” said the Coordinating Council, which accused the Lukashenko regime of “openly using terrorist methods.”
Volha Cemodanova, a spokesman for the Interior Ministry, said early Monday that the ministry had no information about the arrest of Kalesnikava and two other members of the Coordinating Council.
At that time, the relatives of M. Kalesnikava went to the militia for the disappearance of the woman.
“The relatives of Maryja Kalesnikava complained to the militia about her disappearance. The police said that the statement had been accepted, that they were looking for Mary,” said opposition politician, former banker and presidential candidate Viktor Babaryka on the Telegram platform.
Belarusian officials have already detained several members of the Coordination Council and questioned other members, including Kalesnikav, in the course of an investigation into an alleged attempt to seize power.
Kalesnikava, 38, the only one of the three women who led the Sviatlan Cichanouskaya campaign, is still in Belarus, where a growing opposition movement is holding mass demonstrations after the disputed August 9 elections, despite from Lukashenko’s intimidating demonstrations.
S.Cichanouskaja went to neighboring Lithuania, and her other campaign partner, Veranika Capkala, is currently in Ukraine.
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