Belarusian Protest Leader Detained After Failed Attempt to Expel Her

Belarusian Protest Leader Detained After Failed Attempt to Expel Her
Politician and representative of the Coordination Council for members of the Belarusian opposition Maria Kolesnikova attends a news conference in Minsk on Aug. 24, 2020. Vasily Fedosenko / Reuters
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KYIV—Prominent opposition leader Maria Kolesnikova was detained by Belarusian authorities on Tuesday, a border official said, after thwarting what a Ukrainian government minister described as an attempt to expel her from Belarus.

The Interfax Ukraine news agency said the activist had deliberately ripped up her passport so that Ukrainian border officials would not be able to let her through.