The Belarusian president on Monday, August 9 denied any involvement of his country in the suspicious death of Vitali Chychov, an exiled dissident who was found hanged in Ukraine and whose organization accused the regime of Alexander Lukashenko of assassination.
Read also: Lukashenko's relentless grudge against the opposition
"
Chychov, but who is it for me or for Belarus?"
(...) it's nobody for us, who would have gone to hang him?
», Launched the Belarusian leader during his annual press conference.
Vitali Chychov was found hanged in a wooded area on the outskirts of the Ukrainian capital Kiev last week.
Ukrainian police said they were investigating two leads, "
suicide and murder disguised as suicide
" - while relatives of the activist, who headed an NGO helping exiles, accused Belarusian special services for killing him.
To read also: Belarus: "The Lukashenko regime represents a danger for the whole world"
President Lukashenko also attacked Belarusian sprinter Krystsina Tsimanouskaya who said she had escaped forced repatriation from the Tokyo Olympics, after criticizing her country's sports officials. "
She would never have done that (criticized Belarusian coaches, editor's note) alone, she was guided by her Polish pals
," he said. The young woman, who says she fears prison in her country, is now in Poland, a neighbor of Belarus and fervent support of the exiled opposition.