Germany and Britain have demanded that President Alexander Lukashenko account for the whereabouts of Maria Kolesnikova, a leading Belarusian opposition member who was reportedly seized by unidentified men in Minsk on Monday (Sept. 7).
The German Foreign Ministry tweeted comments by Foreign Minister Heiko Maas calling for “clarification of the whereabouts of all political prisoners in Belarus and their release.
British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab tweeted, “Extremely concerned about Maria Kolesnikova’s whereabouts in Belarus. The Lukashenka authorities must make her safe return their highest priority. The authorities must stop brutalizing protesters, release political prisoners and start a political dialogue with the opposition.”
An eyewitness named Anastasia told the Belarusian website Tut. on Monday that she saw plainclothes men forcing Kolesnikova into a minibus and then driving away.
Kolesnikova is the last of the three women who formed the opposition’s coordinating committee to try to defeat Lukashenko in the August elections, and is still in Belarus. Lukashenko was declared the winner of the election, but the opposition parties, as well as the United States and the European Union, said the election was fraudulent.
Kolesnikova’s ally, Olga Kovalkova, traveled to Poland on Saturday. She said authorities forced her to leave Belarus. Belarus’ main opposition leader, Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, went to Lithuania with her children after the election. She said it was for her safety.
German Foreign Minister Maas also tweeted that the EU is “working on a sanctions package as soon as possible. If Lukashenko does not change course, we will respond.”
The EU is considering sanctions against 31 senior Belarusian officials, Reuters reported Monday, citing three EU diplomats.
EU diplomatic chief Joseph Borrell said, “The EU expects the Belarusian authorities to ensure the immediate release of all those arrested for political reasons before and after the fraudulent August 9 presidential elections.”
In addition, the EU on Monday called on Belarus to release more than 600 people the EU believes were arrested over the weekend for protesting what thousands of Belarusians consider to be fraudulent elections.
Borel said, “The EU will impose sanctions on individuals responsible for violence, repression and falsification of election results.”
On Sunday, the demonstrations against Lukashenko entered their fifth consecutive week. Tens of thousands more took to the streets, chanting slogans and waving the opposition’s white – red – white flag.
More than 7,000 protesters were arrested during the month-long protests, and there was reportedly substantial evidence of abuse and torture. At least four people reportedly died during the demonstrations.
In an interview with the Voice of America, Tikhanovskaya said that she was working to organize new elections, although Lukashenko refused to do so.
Our plan is absolutely clear,” she said. That is to organize new elections that are fair and transparent.”
Lukashenko has been in power since 1994.
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