Belarus’ authoritarian president banned citizens from renewing their passports while staying abroad, which could force those who fled the country amid growing repression to return to maintain their travel documents
Belarus’ authoritarian president on Tuesday banned citizens from renewing their passports while staying abroad, which could force those who fled the country amid growing repression to return to maintain their travel documents.
An estimated 200-300,000 Belarusians have left the country in the last three years since massive protests against an election that returned President Alexander Lukashenko to office led to a harsh crackdown on the political opposition.Lukashenko’s decree stated that a Belarusian passport can only be renewed where the holder was a registered resident before leaving the country.
Opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who fled to Lithuania after challenging Lukashenko in the 2020 election, warned Belarusians, saying, “even if your passport expires, you should not return to your home country if you risk persecution.” Tsikhanouskaya told The Associated Press that Poland and Lithuania have issued so-called “foreigner passports” to Belarusians that allow them to stay in those countries.
The Belarusian human rights group Viasna says more than 1,500 people are currently behind bars as political prisoners.
Deutschland Neuesten Nachrichten, Deutschland Schlagzeilen
Similar News:Sie können auch ähnliche Nachrichten wie diese lesen, die wir aus anderen Nachrichtenquellen gesammelt haben.
Polish official harshly criticizes film that explores migration crisis at Poland-Belarus borderA leading member of Poland’s conservative government has sharply criticized a film opening at the Venice Film Festival that explores the humanitarian disaster affecting migrants along the border between Poland and Belarus.
Weiterlesen »
Polish official harshly criticizes film that explores migration crisis at Poland-Belarus borderA leading member of Poland’s conservative government has sharply criticized a film that explores the humanitarian disaster affecting migrants along the Poland-Belarus border.
Weiterlesen »
Polish official harshly criticizes film that explores migration crisis at Poland-Belarus borderA leading member of Poland’s conservative government has sharply criticized a film that explores the humanitarian disaster affecting migrants along the Poland-Belarus border.
Weiterlesen »
Belarus bans citizens from renewing passports abroad, spreading fear among those who fled repressionBelarus’ authoritarian president banned citizens from renewing their passports while staying abroad, which could force those who fled the country amid growing repression to return to maintain their travel documents.
Weiterlesen »
Swimming sets 'strict' rules for individual Russians to return to competition before Paris OlympicsThe criteria follow the IOC's guidelines that only individual athletes from Russia and Belarus — no teams — can be allowed to compete in Paris.
Weiterlesen »