West cries foul as Belarus protest leader Kolesnikova sentenced to 11 years

FILE PHOTO: Belarusian opposition politician Maria Kolesnikova, charged with extremism and trying to seize power illegally, attends a court hearing in Minsk, Belarus August 4, 2021. Ramil Nasibulin/BelTA/Handout via REUTERS

KYIV (Reuters) - Maria Kolesnikova, one of the leaders of mass street protests against Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko last year, was sentenced on Monday to 11 years in prison, leading to an outcry from Western countries.

Kolesnikova, 39, had been detained after ripping up her passport to prevent Belarusian security forces from deporting her in a standoff at the Ukrainian border in September.