Political imprisonment: Signs of life from imprisoned Maria Kolesnikova in Belarus

After a long time without contact with the outside world, the prominent opposition activist Maria Kolesnikova, who was imprisoned in Belarus, has seen a sign of life again: “Our father was finally allowed to visit Maria. I can’t believe it,” wrote her sister Tatjana Khomitsch on the X platform Photos from the meeting were first published on the Telegram channel of the former opposition blogger Roman Protassewitsch, who now works with the Belarusian authorities.

He was very relieved, Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg wrote in the short message service – they must be released immediately and unconditionally!” demanded Schallenberg.

The ruler Alexander Lukashenko recently released dozens of prisoners and was open to letting Kolesnikova go too. However, in order to do so, she would have to write a request for clemency to the politician who was decried as the last dictator in Europe.

Opposition leader Tichanowskaja in exile also relieved

The opposition leader Svetlana Tichanowskaya, who lives in exile, also wrote on Platform X that she was very relieved that Kolesnikova was able to meet her father. It was initially not possible to independently verify when the photos were taken.

Kolesnikova met her father in the prison hospital, the Belarusian media portal “Nascha Niva” wrote, citing former political prisoners who recognized the location where she was taken. It is not known whether Kolesnikova is being treated or whether she has been taken out of the cell where she is most likely housed, they said. The last time Kolesnikova and her father saw each other was in December 2022. Her relatives last received a letter in February 2023.

Kolesnikova was one of the leaders of the mass protests after the 2020 presidential election, which was overshadowed by unprecedented allegations of manipulation. The ruler Lukashenko suppressed the protests. Kolesnikova was arrested in September 2020 and a year later sentenced to 11 years in prison for conspiracy to overthrow the country. She is considered a political prisoner. More than 1,000 Lukashenko’s critics are in prison in the country.