{"id":201917,"date":"2026-08-31T20:49:38","date_gmt":"2026-08-31T17:49:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/201917\/"},"modified":"2026-08-31T20:49:40","modified_gmt":"2026-08-31T17:49:40","slug":"lithuania-confirms-its-citizen-is-imprisoned-in-belarus","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/201917\/","title":{"rendered":"Lithuania confirms its citizen is imprisoned in Belarus"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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August 31, Pozirk<\/em>.<\/strong> Lithuania\u2019s foreign ministry has confirmed that Lithuanian citizen Deividas Stanilavi\u010dius (David Medvedev) is serving a prison term in Belarus for allegedly facilitating \u201cextremism.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On August 28, Belarus\u2019 interior ministry added the Lithuanian to its list of people it considers \u201cinvolved in extremist activities,\u201d noting that he is \u201cserving a sentence.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On August 31, Delfi<\/em> reported with reference to the Lithuanian foreign ministry that the Lithuanian embassy in Minsk is aware of the case. The ministry reportedly refused to reveal any details, explaining that such disclosure such require the citizen\u2019s consent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ministry warns Lithuanian citizens against traveling to Belarus and urges those currently in Belarus to leave as soon as possible, Delfi<\/em> said. It stresses that the Lithuanian embassy in Minsk \u201ccan provide assistance only to a very limited extent, and in some cases cannot help at all.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The charge against Stanilavi\u010dius carries up to six years in prison.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nasha Niva<\/em> reported, citing open Internet sources, that the 27\u2011year\u2011old Lithuanian was a motorist who resold cars and organized minibus tours between Lithuania, Poland and Belarus. In recent years, he reportedly organized tourist trips, including to the Chernobyl exclusion zone in Belarus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following the crackdown on the 2020 post-election protests, authorities in Belarus equated criticism, solidarity, advocacy, the free media and free expression with extremism and terrorism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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