Belarus politician refuses exile, stays in neutral zone on Lithuanian border

Belarusian opposition politician Mikola Statkevich refused to leave Belarus and staged a lone vigil in no man’s land on the Lithuanian border.

Statkevich, the most prominent among the 52 political prisoners released by the Belarusian government on the request of U.S. President Donald Trump refused to cross the border and apparently returned to his homeland later.

Other political figures arrived in Lithuania, where they were later greeted by the U.S. officials.

Webcam footage shared by Reuters showed the 69-year-old Statkevich, dressed in black, sitting in the neutral zone between the borders. Later images suggest he returned to Belarus.

A Lithuanian border guard revealed that the politician never entered Lithuania, stating, “We did not confirm his identity, we did not see his documents.”

They further added that the man in the neutral zone went back inside the Belarus border crossing point.

The exiled opposition have demanded the Alexander Lukashenko government to let the released political prisoners stay in Belarus instead of imposing forced deportations on them.

A senior opposition official Franak Viacorka said the government is forcing Statkevich but he refuses to leave, adding, “The cruel regime didn’t leave any choice for people to stay or go.”

This isn’t the first time that a Belarusian opposition politician has refused to leave, previously, Maria Kalesnikava tore her passport to stop security officials from forcing her out of the country.