Masked men detained one of the last high-profile opposition figures still free in Belarus on Wednesday, his colleagues said, the latest in a series of detentions and expulsions of those leading mass protests.
Maxim Znak, who had worked as a lawyer for jailed presidential hopeful Viktor Babaryko, had been due to participate in a video call but did not show up, instead sending the word "masks" to the group, Babaryko's press service said.
It said a witness had also seen Znak, 39, being led down the street near his offices by several men in civilian clothes and wearing masks.
Along with Svetlana Alexievich, a 72-year-old Nobel Prize-winning author, Znak was the last of the seven members of the opposition Coordination Council's governing presidium to remain free.
Others have been detained or forced to leave Belarus, in an intensifying crackdown by President Alexander Lukashenko's regime over a disputed election.
Znak's apparent detention came a day after the most prominent opposition figure still in Belarus, Maria Kolesnikova, was detained at the Ukrainian border after she prevented authorities from expelling her by tearing up her passport and jumping out of a car.
The Coordination Council was set up to ensure a peaceful transfer of power after main opposition candidate Svetlana Tikhanovskaya rejected Lukashenko's claim to have been re-elected to a sixth term in an August 9 vote.
The election has sparked the biggest anti-government demonstrations of Lukashenko's 26-year rule, with tens of thousands taking to the streets for weeks to demand he resign.
Lukashenko's security services have hit back with waves of arrests, deadly violence against protesters and a campaign of intimidation and expulsion against opposition leaders.
Kolesnikova's fate was unknown after the dramatic events on Wednesday, when she and two other members of the Council were taken in a car to the buffer zone between the Belarusian and Ukrainian borders.
- Appeal to Russians -
The other two council members, press secretary Anton Rodnenkov and executive secretary Ivan Kravtsov, told a press conference in Kiev that Kolesnikova had torn her passport "into small pieces" and climbed out of the back window of the car to avoid expulsion.
Border police said she was being held pending an investigation.
Kolesnikova had gone missing on Monday, with witnesses saying she was bundled into a minibus by unidentified masked men on the street in Minsk.
Kolesnikova, 38, is the only one of the trio of women who fronted Tikhanovskaya's campaign still in Belarus.
Tikhanovskaya left the country under pressure from the authorities and was granted refuge in EU member state Lithuania. Her other campaign partner, Veronika Tsepkalo, is now in Ukraine.
Tikhanovskaya on Wednesday called on Russians not to believe propaganda trying to "poison" ties between the two peoples and thanked those backing Belarusians' "fight for freedom".
Her first major address to Russians came after Lukashenko gave a wide-ranging interview to a group of journalists from Russian state media on Tuesday.
"It is very important not to damage ties between the two countries," 37-year-old Tikhanovskaya said in the video address.
"Let's not allow propaganda to poison ties between two friendly peoples, and unscrupulous politicians to damage the interests of both Belarus and Russia," she said.
No date has been set, but Lukashenko is preparing to travel to Moscow for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Putin quickly congratulated Lukashenko on his re-election last month and has offered Russia's support.
In the interview with Russian journalists, Lukashenko said he did not recognise the Council as the opposition and warned that if his government falls, "Russia will be next".
AFP RELAXNEWS
Wed Sep 09 2020
!['Masked men' detain Belarus opposition lawyer 'Masked men' detain Belarus opposition lawyer](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/http://img.astroawani.com/2020-09/81599648047_MINSK.jpg)
Opposition figures in Belarus have been detained or forced to leave the country in an intensifying crackdown by President Alexander Lukashenko, Sept. 9 2020. AFPRelaxpic
![Golongan belia pemacu penting bentuk masa depan industri pembuatan Malaysia - FMM Golongan belia pemacu penting bentuk masa depan industri pembuatan Malaysia - FMM](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-05/41715247870_SohThianLaijpg.jpg)
Golongan belia pemacu penting bentuk masa depan industri pembuatan Malaysia - FMM
Pemimpin perniagaan dan usahawan daripada golongan belia merupakan pemacu penting yang akan membentuk masa depan industri pembuatan Malaysia, kata Presiden Persekutuan Pekilang-Pekilang Malaysia.
AWANI Tonight: 16 July 2024
#AWANITonight with @Hafiz_Marzukhi
1. Govt mulls amending Penal Code to deal with cyberbullying
2. England's Southgate resigns after Euro 2024 Final defeat
#AWANIEnglish #AWANINews
1. Govt mulls amending Penal Code to deal with cyberbullying
2. England's Southgate resigns after Euro 2024 Final defeat
#AWANIEnglish #AWANINews
![Empat individu termasuk pasangan pempengaruh bebas tahanan reman Empat individu termasuk pasangan pempengaruh bebas tahanan reman](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-05/41716613114_TBsprm.jpg)
Empat individu termasuk pasangan pempengaruh bebas tahanan reman
Kesemua individu juga perlu hadir ke pejabat Suruhanjaya Pencegahan Rasuah Malaysia (SPRM) sebulan sekali untuk melaporkan diri.
![KPT alu-alukan syor PAC guna garis panduan pelaburan universiti awam untuk anak syarikat KPT alu-alukan syor PAC guna garis panduan pelaburan universiti awam untuk anak syarikat](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/81719822088_ZambryAbdKadir.jpg)
KPT alu-alukan syor PAC guna garis panduan pelaburan universiti awam untuk anak syarikat
KPT mengalu-alukan cadangan PAC berhubung pelaksanaan dan pemakaian Garis Panduan Pelaburan dan Pembiayaan oleh Universiti Awam 2024, kepada anak-anak syarikat di bawah seliaan kementerian itu.
![SUKMA 2024: Sepak takraw wanita mungkin digugurkan SUKMA 2024: Sepak takraw wanita mungkin digugurkan](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/61720679430_AbdulKarimRahman.jpg)
SUKMA 2024: Sepak takraw wanita mungkin digugurkan
Sepak takraw wanita berpasukan berkemungkinan akan digugurkan daripada senarai acara temasya Sukan Malaysia (SUKMA) 2024 berikutan jumlah penyertaan kurang daripada jumlah minimum yang ditetapkan.
10 Berita Pilihan - (16 Julai 2024)
Antara pelbagai berita dalam dan luar negara yang disiarkan di Astro AWANI, berikut adalah yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari ini.
![Enam rakyat Vietnam ditemukan maut di sebuah hotel di Bangkok Enam rakyat Vietnam ditemukan maut di sebuah hotel di Bangkok](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2023-12/41702437730_maut.jpg)
Enam rakyat Vietnam ditemukan maut di sebuah hotel di Bangkok
Enam orang ditemukan maut di sebuah hotel di Bangkok, Thailand pada Selasa laporan media tempatan yang memetik polis Bangkok.
AWANI 7:45 [16/07/2024] - Suspek dibawa ke lokasi | Selamat tinggal rakyat Malaysia | Harimau Malaya hilang taring?
- Polis sahkan suspek bunuh Kartini anggota polis.
- Pan-Gon enggan dedah punca letak jawatan.
- Faisal Halim sedih mentor Pan-Gon undur diri.
- Pakai reben putih di Parlimen, tak salah.
- Pan-Gon enggan dedah punca letak jawatan.
- Faisal Halim sedih mentor Pan-Gon undur diri.
- Pakai reben putih di Parlimen, tak salah.
![Isteri calon gandingan Trump letak jawatan di firma guaman Isteri calon gandingan Trump letak jawatan di firma guaman](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/41721139141_TBJDUSHA.jpg)
Isteri calon gandingan Trump letak jawatan di firma guaman
Usha Vance, isteri kepada Senator J.D. Vance yang dipilih sebagai calon gandingan bekas presiden Amerika Syarikat (AS) Donald Trump awal minggu ini, telah meletakkan jawatannya di sebuah firma guaman,
![Najib fail permohonan di mahkamah rayuan cabar Titah Adendum Najib fail permohonan di mahkamah rayuan cabar Titah Adendum](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2023-05/71683779541_TBNAJIBRAZAK.jpg)
Najib fail permohonan di mahkamah rayuan cabar Titah Adendum
Berdasarkan sistem e-filing mahkamah, rayuan itu telah ditetapkan untuk pengurusan kes pada 7 Oktober ini.
![Olimpik Paris: Altet Rusia, Belarus dibenar bertanding Olimpik Paris: Altet Rusia, Belarus dibenar bertanding](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2023-12/71702084099_TBRussianOlympic.jpg)
Olimpik Paris: Altet Rusia, Belarus dibenar bertanding
Keputusan IOC itu mengesahkan langkah yang dimulakan setahun lalu untuk mengintergrasikan semula Rusia dan sekutu tenteranya Belarus.
![Perisikan AS dapat petunjuk awal pemberontakan tentera Wagner Perisikan AS dapat petunjuk awal pemberontakan tentera Wagner](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2023-06/61687661981_Russia.jpg)
Perisikan AS dapat petunjuk awal pemberontakan tentera Wagner
Agensi perisik AS mengesan beberapa petunjuk mendakwa Yevgeny Prigozhin sedang bersiap sedia menentang pertahanan Moscow.
![Belarus akan terima senjata nuklear pada Julai - Putin Belarus akan terima senjata nuklear pada Julai - Putin](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2023-06/81686434345_VladimirPutin.jpg)
Belarus akan terima senjata nuklear pada Julai - Putin
Putin berkata persiapan di kemudahan berkaitan akan diselesaikan pada 7 dan 8 Julai sebelum pemindahan senjata nuklear dilaksanakan.
![Kelayakan Euro 2024: Ukraine dapat 'lampu hijau' Kelayakan Euro 2024: Ukraine dapat 'lampu hijau'](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2023-04/81682397004_UkraineFootball.jpg)
Kelayakan Euro 2024: Ukraine dapat 'lampu hijau'
Ukraine akan terus beraksi dalam kempen Kelayakan Euro 2024 meskipun sebelum ini dilarang daripada menyertai sebarang kejohanan yang membabitkan penyertaan wakil dari Rusia dan Belarus.
![Rusia tempatkan senjata nuklear taktikal di Belarus, pertama kali sejak 1990-an Rusia tempatkan senjata nuklear taktikal di Belarus, pertama kali sejak 1990-an](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2023-03/71679793371_VladimirPutin.jpg)
Rusia tempatkan senjata nuklear taktikal di Belarus, pertama kali sejak 1990-an
Rusia bakal tempatkan senjata nuklear taktikal di Belarus, kali pertama sejak 1990-an.
![Biaya protes antikerajaan, Pemenang Hadial Nobel 2022 dipenjara 10 tahun Biaya protes antikerajaan, Pemenang Hadial Nobel 2022 dipenjara 10 tahun](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2023-03/71677844386_AlesBialiatski.jpg)
Biaya protes antikerajaan, Pemenang Hadial Nobel 2022 dipenjara 10 tahun
Ales Bialiatski dan rakan-rakannya dituduh menyalurkan dana Viasna kepada tahanan politik dan membantu membayar yuran guaman mereka.
![Krisis Rusia-Ukraine: Zelenskyy rayu Belarus tidak bekerjasama dengan Rusia Krisis Rusia-Ukraine: Zelenskyy rayu Belarus tidak bekerjasama dengan Rusia](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2022-06/81655527181_VolodymyrZelenskyy.jpg)
Krisis Rusia-Ukraine: Zelenskyy rayu Belarus tidak bekerjasama dengan Rusia
Kepimpinan Rusia kini cuba untuk mengajak rakyat Belarus dalam peperangan dan menyemai kebencian terhadap Ukraine.
![Lebih 60 atlet Rusia, Belarus dihalang sertai maraton Boston Lebih 60 atlet Rusia, Belarus dihalang sertai maraton Boston](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2022-04/81649435620_BostonAthleticAsso.jpg)
Lebih 60 atlet Rusia, Belarus dihalang sertai maraton Boston
Bagaimanapun, rakyat di kedua-dua negara yang tinggal di luar negara boleh menyertai acara itu dengan syarat tidak menggunakan bendera negara asal mereka.
![BWF batalkan kejohanan di Rusia, Belarus BWF batalkan kejohanan di Rusia, Belarus](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2021-05/61620854063_BWF.jpg)
BWF batalkan kejohanan di Rusia, Belarus
BWF mengambil keputusan membatalkan kesemua kejohanan yang mendapat pengiktirafannya di Rusia dan Belarus sehingga diberitahu kelak berikutan operasi khas tentera Rusia di Ukraine.
![Rundingan antara Ukraine dan Rusia sudah bermula - Laporan Rundingan antara Ukraine dan Rusia sudah bermula - Laporan](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2022-02/51646046882_TBLVIV.jpg)
Rundingan antara Ukraine dan Rusia sudah bermula - Laporan
Menurut Reuters, rundingan diadakan di Kediaman Rumyantsev-Paskevich di Istana Gomel, Belarus.