Ukraine denies political asylum to Belarusian refuge for second time
The Ukraine’s State Committee for National and Religious Affairs repeatedly denied political asylum to Belarusian opposition activist Ihar Koktysh.
In 2001, Ihar Koktysh, member of the “Milky Way” rock band, was arrested in the town of Baranavichy on charges of murder. On 7 December 2001 Brest Court acquitted Ihar Koktysh after spending 10 months in local pre-trial prison, where he was reportedly tortured.
In 2002 the activist left for Ukraine and learning that his case was going to be reviewed, he decided not to return to Belarus.
He was arrested by the Ukrainian police in 2007 and was awaiting extradition in Simferopol prison. However, Ihar was not extradited to Belarus due to a wide public attention to the case. On 2 February 2010, he was released upon a decision by the European Human Rights Court.
