Six months after disappearance, opposition activist Kotaŭ still missing

February 21, Pozirk. Six months have passed since the disappearance of Belarusian opposition activist Anatol Kotaŭ, whose whereabouts remain unknown.
Kotaŭ, who lived in Poland, disappeared after landing in Turkey on August 21. He reportedly left the country that same evening aboard a private yacht that departed from the Black Sea port of Trabzon for Russia’s Sochi, DW reported, citing a source in the Trabzon police.
His wife fears that he may be held by the Belarusian Committee for State Security (KGB).
A former Belarusian diplomat and official in Łukašenka’s administration, Kotaŭ left government service in 2020 and supported the post-election protests in Belarus. He later joined the Belarusian Sports Solidarity Fund (BSSF) and emigrated to Poland, fearing politically motivated persecution.
Last year, he was sentenced in absentia to 12 years in prison in Belarus on extremism-related charges — a label Minsk frequently uses to punish opponents in exile.
In March last year, another high-profile Belarusian opposition figure, Anžalika Mielnikava, also disappeared after leaving the European Union. Her whereabouts remain unknown.
Missing activist's wife hopes Washington may help find her husband
- SecurityVietnamese military delegation led by army ideology chief arrives in BelarusThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy, Politics, SecurityEU envoys agree to prolong Ukraine‑related sanctions against Belarus by three years, report saysThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsŁukašenka heaps praise on Russia’s State Duma electionsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsBelarusian foreign minister leaves for New York to participate in UN eventsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy, Politics
- EconomyBelarusian companies’ CapEx rise by 11.5 percent in first eight monthsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SocietyThree Belarusians face trial over alleged irregular migration facilitationThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy
- Economy, Politics
- PoliticsŁukašenka stresses “friendly ties” with Armenians amid tensions with YerevanThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SocietyConstitutional Court receives over 260 appeals since 2023 – chairmanThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- EconomyEDB links Belarus’ economic slowdown to weaker agricultural outputThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy, Politics
- SocietyBySol raises nearly €37,000 for recently freed dissidentsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsOpposition politician Viačorka looking forward to establishment of Belarus-Ukraine coordinating groupThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsCichanoŭskaja leaves for New York to take part in UN eventsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Security, SocietyParticipants at Belarusian-Ukrainian forum in Kyiv vow to investigate transfers of Ukrainian children to BelarusThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SecurityUkraine will probably deal with Belarus-based relay systems for Russian drone attacks in non-public way, envoy saysThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy, PoliticsCichanoŭskaja welcomes new US sanctions against RussiaThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsTen of 25 deported political prisoners move from Lithuania to PolandThe material is available only to POZIRK+



