{"id":152908,"date":"2025-08-28T15:58:17","date_gmt":"2025-08-28T12:58:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/152908\/"},"modified":"2026-03-09T20:10:49","modified_gmt":"2026-03-09T20:10:49","slug":"missing-belarusian-activist-left-turkey-by-ferry","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/152908\/","title":{"rendered":"Missing Belarusian activist left Turkey through Port of Trabzon"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n (Belsat)<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

August 28, Pozirk<\/em>.<\/strong> Anatol Kota\u016d of the Belarusian Sports Solidarity Fund (BSSF) who has been missing since August 21 after landing in Turkey, left that country the same day at 6:30 p.m. through the Black Sea Port of Trabzon, IHA<\/em> reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He showed the Polish travel document when boarding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The BSSF called on the international sports community and human rights organizations to pay attention to the disappearance of the activist, described as a \u201clong-standing advocate for the rights of Belarusian athletes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kota\u016d is also known as a member of the ethics committee at the World DanceSport Federation and a contributor to the US-based Athletes for Freedom Foundation\u2019s working group.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIn recent years, Kota\u016d has been at the forefront of defending the rights of Belarusian athletes, openly opposing the [Alaksandar] \u0141uka\u0161enka regime and its repressive practices,\u201d the BSSF noted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His disappearance is \u201ca matter of grave concern not only for Belarusian society, but for the global sports and human rights community,\u201d the group stressed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A former Belarusian diplomat and \u0141uka\u0161enka\u2019s administration official, Kota\u016d left government service in 2020 and supported the postelection protests in Belarus. Later, he joined the BSSF and emigrated to Poland, fearing politically-motivated persecution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One year ago, he was sentenced to 12 years in prison in Belarus without being present at the trial on extremism-related charges that Minsk often uses to punish exiled opponents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Earlier this year, another high-profile Belarusian opposition politician, An\u017ealika Mielnikava, disappeared after leaving the European Union. Her whereabouts remain unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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