Maria Kolesnikova

A court in Belarus sentenced one of the country's most prominent opposition figures, Maria Kolesnikova, to 11 years in prison on Monday after she led unprecedented protests against President Alexander Lukashenko last year.

Authorities in Belarus tried to forcibly expel leading opposition figure Maria Kolesnikova from the country but she tore up her passport in defiance and jumped out a car window to stay, her allies said Tuesday.

One of Belarus's leading opposition figures Maria Kolesnikova has been detained while trying to cross into Ukraine, border officials said Tuesday.

Masked men detained Belarusian protest leader Maria Kolesnikova in central Minsk on Monday morning and drove her away in a van and two of her allies also disappeared later, the opposition movement said.

A court in Belarus sentenced one of the country's most prominent opposition figures, Maria Kolesnikova, to 11 years in prison on Monday after she led unprecedented protests against President Alexander Lukashenko last year.

Authorities in Belarus tried to forcibly expel leading opposition figure Maria Kolesnikova from the country but she tore up her passport in defiance and jumped out a car window to stay, her allies said Tuesday.

One of Belarus's leading opposition figures Maria Kolesnikova has been detained while trying to cross into Ukraine, border officials said Tuesday.

Masked men detained Belarusian protest leader Maria Kolesnikova in central Minsk on Monday morning and drove her away in a van and two of her allies also disappeared later, the opposition movement said.