Maria Kolesnikova, one of the leaders of the Belarusian opposition, was detained at the Ukrainian border on September 8, just a day after it became known about her disappearance in the center of Minsk. The Belarusian authorities claim that Kolesnikova allegedly tried to flee the country, her lawyer and supporters are sure that they tried to forcibly deport the politician.
What exactly happened?
The State Border Committee of Belarus insists on the version according to which Kolesnikova, as well as two members of the Coordination Council, Anton Rodnenkov and Ivan Kravtsov, tried to leave the territory of Belarus together — but Kolesnikova was allegedly pushed out of the speeding car at the sight of a border guard.
According to Interfax-Ukraine, they tried to forcibly transport all three across the border, but Kolesnikova prevented her own deportation by tearing her passport — after which the border guards refused to let her into Ukraine. The Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine partially confirmed this version, stating on Facebook that the incident was «forcible expulsion from the country.»
Kolesnikova's lawyer, Maksim Znak, also stressed that on September 6 — the day before her disappearance — she made it clear that she had no plans to leave Belarus. He added that he hopes for the early release of the politician, for whose detention there were no grounds.
Maria Kolesnikova walking in a column of protesters on Pobediteley Avenue. pic.twitter.com/ZCjBnBKQyu
— TUT.BY (@tutby) September 6, 2020
What do Tikhanovskaya and Lukashenko say?
Svetlana Tikhanovskaya has already commented on Kolesnikova's detention, calling on the current government to release her as soon as possible.
“You cannot hold the people hostage. — she emphasized — By kidnapping people in the middle of the day, Lukashenka demonstrates his weakness and fear.
Lukashenko, in turn, gave an interview to the TV channel «Russia 1», in which he said that he considered the detention of Kolesnikova absolutely «correct», since she allegedly «violated the rules of crossing the border» in an attempt to escape from the country. This was stated by correspondent Evgeny Rozhkov. The interview itself has yet to come out.
Kolesnikova stopped communicating the day before her arrest — September 7. Eyewitnesses claimed that they saw how some people in masks grabbed her on one of the streets of Minsk and dragged her into a van, which then disappeared in an unknown direction. The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Belarus insisted that it had nothing to do with the incident, the KGB refused to comment on the incident.
