{"id":186198,"date":"2026-05-04T17:32:26","date_gmt":"2026-05-04T14:32:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/186198\/"},"modified":"2026-05-04T17:32:27","modified_gmt":"2026-05-04T14:32:27","slug":"armenia-frees-belarusian-dissident-arrested-ahead-of-cichanouskajas-visit","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/186198\/","title":{"rendered":"Armenia frees Belarusian dissident arrested ahead of Cichano\u016dskaja\u2019s visit"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

May 4, <\/strong>Pozirk<\/strong>.<\/em> A Belarusian exile, who had to leave the country fearing politically-motivated reprisals, was arrested yesterday afternoon in Armenia at Minsk\u2019s request after crossing from Georgia and freed after the intervention of Belarusian opposition leader \u015aviat\u0142ana Cichano\u016dskaja.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Belarusian, whose name is not disclosed for security reasons, was released approximately 12 hours after his arrest and will remain in Armenia until local authorities issue him the necessary exit permits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Armenian human rights activists and Cichano\u016dskaja\u2019s office joined forces to resolve the problem ahead of the Belarusian politician’s visit to Armenia, which is hosting the European Political Community summit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The man told Pozirk<\/em> that he faces politically-motivated criminal charges in Belarus. Law enforcers reportedly harassed his mother to find out his whereabouts, claiming that her son had committed theft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Belarus and Armenia share a common interstate wanted persons database, resulting in at least seven arrests of Belarusian activists in Armenia, said Leanid Maroza\u016d from Cichano\u016dskaja\u2019s legal team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Armenia refused several requests in 2024 to extradite Belarusians wanted for political reasons, despite Andrej \u0160vied, the Belarusian prosecutor general at the time, raising the issue during a meeting with his Armenian counterpart, Anna Vardapetyan, in Yerevan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Earlier this year, Alen Simonyan, Armenian parliamentary speaker, promised that no one would be detained or deported to any country for political reasons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Armenia has pursued closer ties with the European Union under Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, who came to power in 2018 after mass protests against the country\u2019s former leadership.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n
\n \"\"