How Belarusian Opposition Leader Escaped "Forced Expulsion" To Ukraine: Tearing Passport

JAKARTA - The leader of the Belarusian opposition, Maria Kolesnikova, prevented her from being deported to Ukraine by tearing her passport. Reportedly he was "forcibly evicted" after igniting a protest movement against President Alexander Lukashenko's re-election.

Kolesnikova was a key figure behind weeks of protests against Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko's re-election. Citing Reuters, Kolesnikova's fate has been a mystery since her supporters said she was kidnapped.

Reportedly, he was kidnapped by a man in Minsk on Monday. On his Facebook account, Ukraine's Deputy Interior Minister Anton Gerashchenko said Kolesnikova, who had been missing for the past 24 hours, had prevented "forced evictions" from her home country.

“Maria Kolesnikova cannot be deported from Belarus because this brave woman is taking steps to prevent (herself) from moving across the border. He remains on the territory of the Belarusian republic. Alexander Lukashenko is personally responsible for his life and health, "said Gerashchenko.

According to a source quoted by Interfax Ukraine, Kolesnikova tore her passport so that border officials could not let her enter Ukraine. Currently, it is not clear where it is. Two other opposition figures who went missing around the same time as Kolesnikova, however, entered Ukraine in the early hours of Tuesday, the Ukrainian border service said.

"Kolesnikova is now detained, I can't say concretely where she is, but she has been detained," said Anton Bychkovsky, a representative of the Belarusian border service. "He was detained due to the circumstances in which they (group) left Belarusian territory," he said.

Several prominent opposition leaders have been arrested or forced to leave Belarus since elections held in August. Lukashenko ordered security forces to launch a crackdown to maintain his 26-year rule in the former Soviet republic.

Kolesnikova is an outspoken critic of Lukashenko. He played a key role in weeks of mass demonstrations and strikes by protesters accusing Lukashenko of rigging his re-election.

Lukashenko, who enjoys Russian support, denied the accusations. He accused foreign powers of trying to overthrow him in a revolution. Lukashenko responded with a crackdown that some detained said included torture and beatings.

Kolesnikova, in an interview, asked Western countries not to recognize Lukashenko as president. He also said Lukashenko's government had collapsed.