Now playing Next Poland 'Belarus will be free': Exiled sprinter speaks out after Tokyo exit Krystsina Tsimanouskaya, 24, showed Japanese police a translated plea for help on her phone after being escorted to the airport by Belarusian officials on Sunday. 05/08/2021
Now playing Next Uncovering Europe The raid that killed off Belarus' last independent media platform The raid is symptomatic of a wider crackdown on dissent in Belarus since the disputed reelection of Lukashenko last August had sparked huge protests. 05/08/2021
Now playing Next world news 'No one is safe': Tears and fears at Kyiv vigil for dead Belarusian As they gathered to pay tribute to activist Vitali Shishov who was found dead in Kyiv on Tuesday, Belarusian exiles in Ukraine said they no longer felt safe from their country's autocratic leader. 04/08/2021
Now playing Next world news NGO accuses Minsk after Belarusian activist found dead in Ukraine Vitali Shishov led a group helping Belarusians flee repression in the country and went missing while jogging on Monday. 03/08/2021
Now playing Next world news Lithuania takes a tougher line on the migrant influx from Belarus Lithuania has struggled with a flow of migrants from the Middle East and Africa, a huge influx that the Baltic country has blamed on Minsk as part of a "hybrid war" against the EU. 03/08/2021
Now playing Next Belarus Activists detained amid raids at human rights NGOs in Belarus The Viasna human rights centre has stated that Belarusian security forces have searched its offices and arrested several activists. 14/07/2021
Now playing Next Belarus Belarus' president says Western states are trying to overthrow him Alexander Lukashenko accused the US and Germany as well as neighbours Lithuania, Ukraine and Poland of preparing to remove him from power. 03/07/2021
Now playing Next Belarus Belarus says it has dismantled 'terror cells' with ties to West President Alexander Lukashenko said the "terrorist sleeper cells" allegedly plotting a coup against him had ties with Germany, Ukraine, the US, Poland and Lithuania. 02/07/2021
Now playing Next Uncovering Europe 'A pathetic revenge policy': Is Belarus enabling illegal migration? The number of people who illegally crossed into Lithuania from Belarus shot up in June following condemnation over the forced landing of a Ryanair flight to arrest a journalist. 30/06/2021
Now playing Next Belarus Belarus cuts cooperation on migration with EU over sanctions The EU on Thursday slapped new bruising economic sanctions on Belarus over last month's diversion of a passenger jet to arrest a dissident journalist. 28/06/2021
Now playing Next state of the union Europe's week: Hungary's LGBT law dominates agenda Last week, the Hungarian parliament passed a new law that bans the portrayal of homosexuality and sex reassignment in school education material and TV programmes addressed to people under 18 years of age. 25/06/2021
Now playing Next Belarus Belarus: Journalist Roman Protasevich moved from jail to house arrest Opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya on Friday called moving Pratasevich and Sapega to house arrest “good news,” but stressed it is not the end. “House arrest is not freedom, they're still facing charges, their every step is still being watched" 25/06/2021
Now playing Next Belarus Poland hits back as Belarus makes WW2 invasion date a public holiday Belarus declared a national holiday on September 17, the same day Soviet Forces invaded Poland in World War II in 1939. 09/06/2021
Now playing Next Europe News Belarus sanctions likely to be approved later this month, says EU MEPs debated the situation in Belarus with the EU's High Representative Josep Borrell on Tuesday. 08/06/2021
Now playing Next Belarus Belarus toughens laws against protesters and 'extremism' Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has signed into effect a law tightening sanctions against protesters taking part in unauthorised rallies and increasing penalties for "extremism". 08/06/2021
Now playing Next Belarus Exiled Belarusians protest at closure of Polish land border Officially the reason for the closure since December is COVID-19 - but many suspect Lukashenko of using the pandemic as a pretext for clamping down on the protest movement against his rule. 05/06/2021
Now playing Next Belarus Belarusian airlines banned from flying over EU or using its airports It follows Minsk's move to divert a Ryanair passenger plane and arrest dissident journalist Roman Protasevich last month. 04/06/2021
Now playing Next Belarus Belarusian activist stabs himself in court to protest repression Stsiapan Latypau's desperate act on Tuesday sheds light on the situation of Belarus' 454 political prisoners. The activist was arrested during massive protests against President Lukashenko last September. 01/06/2021
Now playing Next Uncovering Europe Meet the journalist who fled Belarus hours before Ryanair diversion Carrying just her passport, money and a few essentials in her handbag, Arina Malinovskaya fled for the Ukrainian capital Kyiv. 01/06/2021
Now playing Next Poland Demonstrations held across Europe against Belarusian president Demonstrations have been held in several European cities against the government in Belarus after a plane carrying a dissident journalist was grounded in the country last weekend. 29/05/2021