Freed Belarusian opposition politician who refused deportation is back in prison, report says

A man, believed to be Belarusian opposition politician Mikola Statkevich, who refused to cross into Lithuania with other freed prisoners after they were pardoned and released at the request of U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday, a senior official in the exiled opposition told Reuters, sits in the no man's zone at the Belarus - Lithuania border crossing, September 11, 2025. State Border Committee of the Republic of Belarus/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo

MOSCOW (Reuters) -Belarusian opposition politician Mikola Statkevich, who refused to be deported to neighbouring Lithuania after being released from prison last week, has been returned to a penal colony, independent news outlet Nasha Niva reported on Monday.

"Statkevich has been found in the Hlybokaye prison colony," exiled opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya posted on X, citing the Nasha Niva report which was based on an unidentified source.