Belarus opposition leader says anonymous message alleges that her husband died in prison

By YURAS KARMANAU
Associated Press

TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya says she received an anonymous message alleging that her imprisoned husband, also an opposition figure, died behind bars. Siarhei Tsikhanouski was arrested in 2020 after announcing plans to run against Belarus’ authoritarian leader, Alexander Lukashenko, in presidential elections that year. After he was arrested, his wife ran in his stead. Official results of the election handed Lukashenko his sixth term in office and were denounced by the opposition as a sham. Amid unprecedented protests that followed, Tsikhnaouskaya left the country. Her husband was later sentenced to 19 1/2 years in prison. Tsihkhanouskaya says she hasn’t received any news from her husband since early March.