Head of Belarusian exile group found hanged in Ukraine, police open
murder case
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[August 03, 2021]
By Natalia Zinets and Margaryta Chornokondratenko
KYIV (Reuters) -A Belarusian activist
living in exile in Ukraine was found hanged in a park near his home in
Kyiv early on Tuesday, and Ukrainian police said they had launched a
murder case.
Vitaly Shishov, who led a Kyiv-based organisation that helps Belarusians
fleeing persecution, had been reported missing by his partner on Monday
after failing to return home from a run.
Police said they had launched a criminal case for suspected murder,
including investigating whether attackers had tried to disguise the
killing as suicide.
Shishov, 26, had felt under constant surveillance since he left Belarus
last year after taking part in anti-government protests, his colleagues
said. He had been warned about possible threats, including being
kidnapped or killed.
Ukraine, Poland and Lithuania have become havens for Belarusians during
a crackdown by President Alexander Lukashenko following a disputed
election last year. Tens of thousands of people have been detained and
leading opposition figures are either in jail or living abroad.
"It is worrying that those who flee Belarus still can't be safe," exiled
opposition figure Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya said on Twitter.
Shishov's death was reported by the Belarus official news agency Belta,
but the Minsk authorities did not otherwise comment. Lukashenko's
spokesperson could not be reached.
Yuri Shchuchko, a friend of Shishov, who helped police identify the
body, said Shishov's nose had been broken. A police spokesperson
declined comment when asked about this.
In May a dissident journalist, Roman Protasevich, was detained by
Belarusian security forces after his flight was forced to land in Minsk.
This week, a Belarusian athlete took refuge in the Polish embassy in
Tokyo after refusing her team's orders to fly home from the Olympics.
SOUNDING THE ALARM
Shishov led the Belarusian House in Ukraine (BDU) group, which helps
Belarusians find accommodation, jobs and legal advice.
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Vitaly Shishov, head of a Kyiv-based organisation that helps
Belarusians fleeing persecution, is seen in Kyiv, Ukraine July 18,
2021. Picture taken July 18, 2021. RBC-Ukraine/Handout via REUTERS
"We were also repeatedly warned by both local sources and our people in
the Republic of Belarus about all kinds of provocations, including
kidnapping and liquidation," BDU said in a statement. "Vitaly treated
these warnings stoically and with humour.
"Ihor, 24, a fellow Belarusian exile who has known Shishov since last
October, told Reuters that Shishov knew he was under surveillance,
recounting instances of his car being followed or his girlfriend
being approached by strangers while they were staging protests in
Kyiv.
"Lukashenko's regime is at war, and he is at war. He is at war with
anyone who can offer any resistance," said Ihor, who gave only his
first name.
Shishov "did not suffer from any psychological disorder, he was
always very sober-minded. That's why when he disappeared, we sounded
the alarm because we knew he is not a person who could simply
disappear, get drunk or party somewhere," Ihor added.
The organisation had said on Monday it was not able to contact
Shishov. It said Shishov had left his residence at 9 a.m. (0600 GMT)
and was supposed to have returned an hour later.
The Belarusian authorities have characterised anti-government
protesters as criminals or violent revolutionaries backed by the
West, and described the actions of their own law enforcement
agencies as appropriate and necessary.
"It adds another level to our concerns about what is happening in
Belarus," said Marta Hurtado, spokesperson for the U.N. human rights
office, when asked about Shishov's death, though she said she did
not know whether it was connected to politics.
(Reporting by Natalia Zinets and Ilya Zhegulev in Kyiv and Emma
Thomasson in Geneva;Writing by Matthias WilliamsEditing by Andrew
Heavens, Peter Graff)
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