Maxim Znak: ‘Masked men’ capture opposition figure in Belarus

One of the last remaining high-profile opposition figures in Belarus, Maxim Znak, has been detained by masked men, his supporters say.

Mr. Znak, a lawyer and member of the Opposition Coordination Council, did not appear for a video meeting scheduled for Wednesday morning.

Witnesses reported that masked men in plain clothes led him down a street in the capital, Minsk.

Several other opposition figures were recently arrested in the country.

Maria Kolesnikova, one of three women who joined forces to challenge President Alexander Lukashenko in the August elections, is currently in detention after resisting attempts by the authorities to expel her to Ukraine.

She is the last of three women leading the opposition that remains inside Belarus.

Meanwhile, Znak is believed to be the last active member of the Coordination Council within the country. The body was created by the opposition to oversee a transfer of power after the disputed election.

The vote sparked mass protests amid allegations of vote rigging.

The 39-year-old, who previously worked as a lawyer for jailed presidential candidate Viktor Babaryko, was due to participate in a video call on Wednesday but was unable to dial.

When a colleague called him, Mr. Znak said someone had arrived and then hung up.

He then sent a text message with the word “masks” to a group, an activist told local media. This is believed to be a reference to the face masks used by Belarusian security services.

Witnesses later reported seeing Mr. Znak being led down a street near their offices by masked men in plain clothes.

On Monday, Znak spoke to the BBC about his concerns for his safety.

“I’m pretending to be relaxed,” he said. “It’s a professional habit, but actually I’m very worried and scared.”

Police have not yet commented on reports of his arrest.

When opposition figures established the Coordinating Council to, as they put it, oversee the transfer of power, there were seven members in the presidium.

Now all but one have fled the country or been detained after being threatened with arrest.

By selecting key figures, the authorities clearly hope to scare others into submission and end weeks of street protests.

But, from the beginning, these protests have been organized through social media, not by any activist, party or politician.

So, for now at least, it seems unlikely that they will stop.