The Belarusian authorities, with the assistance of the US, released «another unlawfully detained» American, announced Secretary of State Marco Rubio, without specifying who it was. CNN clarifies that Minsk released US citizen Yuri Zenkovich, convicted in the case of an attempted coup.
According to US Presidential Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs Adam Boehler, after his release, Zenkovich was sent to Lithuania accompanied by American officials. From there, he is expected to fly to the US.
In September 2022, Belarusian politician and American lawyer Yuri Zenkovich was sentenced to 11 years in a colony on charges of «conspiracy to seize power», creating an «extremist» formation, calls for «seizing power», and «inciting hatred». He and other defendants in the «conspirators' case» were detained in April 2021. According to the Belarusian authorities, they were preparing an assassination attempt on Alexander Lukashenko and his sons, as well as planning to carry out a «state coup». Zenkovich was the only defendant who pleaded guilty and did not deny the accusation of being the organizer of the conspiracy.
Later, the court added another 2.5 years to his sentence on charges of «insulting a government official» and «malicious disobedience to the colony administration».
In February, the Belarusian authorities released three political prisoners — Belarusian «Radio Liberty» journalist* Andrei Kuznechik, activist and mother of many children Elena Movshuk, and an unnamed US citizen.
* Recognized in Russia as a «foreign agent» and «undesirable» organization.