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Belarus dissident found hanged in Ukraine

NGO accused Lukashenko regime of being behind the murder

03 August, 13:50
(ANSA-AFP) - KIEV, AUG 3 - A missing Belarusian activist has been found hanged in a park in the Ukrainian capital Kiev, police said on Tuesday, adding they had opened a murder probe.

Vitaly Shishov, 26, headed the Belarusian House in Ukraine, an NGO helping his compatriots flee repression in Belarus.

Belarus strongman Alexander Lukashenko has been cracking down on any form of dissent since mass protests erupted after last year's elections, deemed unfair by the West. Many Belarusians have fled, often to neighbouring Ukraine, Poland and Lithuania.

"Belarusian citizen Vitaly Shishov, who had gone missing in Kiev yesterday, was today found hanged in one of the Kiev parks, not far from where he lived," police said in a statement. Police said they had opened a murder probe and would pursue all leads including a possible "murder disguised as a suicide". The Belarusian House in Ukraine accused the Lukashenko regime of being behind the murder of Shishov. (ANSA-AFP).

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