Armenia refuses to extradite Belarusian dissident despite prosecutor’s overtures
October 23, Pozirk. The Armenian migration authority grant Belarusian dissident Kirył Bałandzin asylum, refusing to extradite him to Belarus at Minsk’s request, RFE/RL Armenian Service reported.
The move comes weeks after Belarusian Prosecutor General Andrej Švied appealed to his Armenian counterpart Anna Vardapetyan to grant Belarus’ extradition requests during a visit to Yerevan.
Belarusian prosecutors accuse Bałandzin of embezzlement, but the real reason for persecution is his participation in the 2020 postelection protests, his lawyer said.
The Armenian Prosecutor General’s Office ruled to extradite him to Belarus in late May following his arrest at the border between Armenia and Georgia. The man was awaiting extradition in custody after Armenian courts upheld the decision.
Armenia rejected several extradition requests from Belarus in 2024 following a sharp deterioration in relations between Minsk and Yerevan over Alaksandar Łukašenka’s support for Azerbaijan’s capture of Nagorno-Karabakh.
Also read: Lawyer fears Armenia may soon extradite wanted Belarusian national
- PoliticsŁukašenka claims willing to consider pardon for KaleśnikavaThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SocietyFounder confirms language school's liquidationThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SecurityPoland stops some 28,000 illegal entries from Belarus since year's startThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsŁukašenka hoping to take part in Europe's post-war rearrangement, politician saysThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SecurityFather, son from Ukraine sentenced to 20 years in prisonThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsOpposition urges Belarusians to vote "against all"The material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics
- Economy
- Politics2015 presidential hopeful released from jailThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics“Fear and terror” to reign during Belarus’ presidential vote – opposition politicianThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SocietyWriter Aleksijevič confident change in Belarus to come in less than 10 yearsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, Security
- PoliticsBelarus down in the global rule of law rankingThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- EconomyBelarus mulls expansion of air service with Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, MoroccoThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsReprisals: another journalist arrestedThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics
- Elections, Politics
- Security
- PoliticsUTC: Polish prosecutors have 70 volumes of files on Łukašenka regimeThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- EconomyIMF improves forecast for Belarus' economic growthThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsJournalist Iljaš arrested for interviewsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- EconomyOfficial concerned about Russia, Belarus price gapThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Society
- Economy
- EconomyProjected budget deficit for 2025 not a problem – expertThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsProminent political prisoners held in detachments riddled with snitches – lawyerThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- EconomyBelarus supports BRICS settlement system – RyžankoŭThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy
- PoliticsKyiv reports another Russian drone incursion into BelarusThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, Society