Imprisoned Belarusian opposition figure Maria Kolesnikova in intensive care “What’s going on here, Tim Cook?”: Elon Musk declares war on Apple

Belarusian opposition leader Maria Kolesnikova, who has been sentenced to a long prison term, is in the intensive care unit of her prison, according to another detained politician. “Masha is in intensive care, cause unknown,” Viktor Babariko tweeted on Tuesday. She had been operated on the day before, he wrote, without giving details. “She is currently in a stable, serious condition, improving.” There are no official statements for the event.

Together with Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, Kolesnikova is considered a figurehead of the Belarusian opposition to longtime ruler Alexander Lukashenko. The two led nationwide protests in 2020 against the disputed presidential election in which Lukashenko proclaimed himself the winner. He ordered the police and judiciary to crack down on the demonstrators.

Tichanovskaya went into exile in Lithuania, while Kolesnikova was arrested and sentenced to 11 years in prison for conspiracy to subvert. Babariko, who was considered a promising candidate in the 2020 presidential election, was hit with several charges before the vote and was finally sentenced to 14 years in prison last year for bribery, tax evasion and money laundering. The trials are regarded as political staging. (aeg/sda/dpa)