A dissident film director from Belarus is released after 1 year of detention in Serbia

A noted Belarusian movie head and dissident who was held successful Serbia for a twelvemonth while Belarus sought his extradition has been released and gone to Germany

BERLIN -- A noted Belarusian movie head and dissident who was held successful Serbia for a year while Belarus sought his extradition has been released and gone to Germany.

Andrei Hniot told The Associated Press that Serbian authorities released him from location apprehension connected Thursday, precisely a twelvemonth aft he was detained. Under Serbian law, pre-extradition detention cannot transcend 1 year, said his lawyer Filip Sofijanic.

Belarus issued an world warrant for Hniot connected charges of taxation evasion, which he claims are false.

Hniot is simply a noted professional of Belarus' authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko. He participated successful nan huge protests that gripped nan state successful 2020 pursuing a a statesmanlike predetermination whose disputed results gave Lukashenko a sixth word successful office.

Authorities launched an extended and harsh crackdown connected guidance amid nan protests, which continues to nan coming day. More than 65,000 group were arrested for protesting aliases different guidance activity. The country's astir salient guidance figures are now imprisoned aliases person fled nan country.

Hniot said he was capable to time off Serbia without problems.

“In Berlin I was capable to to respire a sigh of alleviation and effort to comprehend that this nightmarish twelvemonth is already down me,” he said.

Belarusian guidance figures overseas campaigned for Hniot's release. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who was forced to time off Belarus aft she ran against Lukashenko successful 2020, said nan German Foreign Ministry and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen supported efforts to merchandise Hniot.

The Belarusian quality authorities group Viasna says location are astir 1,300 governmental prisoners successful Belarus, including nan group's Nobel Peace Prize-winning founder Ales Bialiatski.