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Sannikaw granted UK asylum

 

Andrey Sannikaw has been granted political asylum in the UK, Iryna Khalip, wife of the former presidential candidate and political prisoner, told BelaPAN on Friday.

The journalist did not say when Mr. Sannikaw`s asylum request was granted by the UK authorities. "We have decided to make no further comment so far, because it is safer for our family that way at the current stage," she explained.

The 58-year-old leader of an opposition group called European Belarus is staying in London at the place of his sister, who has lived in the UK capital for years.

Ms. Khalip, a prominent journalist, was speaking to BelaPAN from the couple`s home in Minsk. She is banned from traveling abroad because of a suspended prison sentence imposed on her in 2011.

Andrey Sannikaw, a former deputy foreign minister, and Iryna Khalip were among prominent opponents of Alyaksandr Lukashenka who were arrested in the wake of a post-election street protest staged in Minsk on the night of December 19, 2010 and subsequently convicted in a so-called riot case. Mr. Sannikaw was sentenced to five years in prison, while Ms. Khalip was given a suspended two-year prison term.

Mr. Sannikaw was released from prison on April 14, 2012, after being pardoned by Mr. Lukashenka. He later explained that he had asked the Belarusian leader for a pardon in an effort to "stop provocations" and even avoid possible death.

"It seemed to me that fairly serious troubles, even death could befall me," Mr. Sannikaw said days after his release.

According to the official results of the December 14-19, 2010 presidential election, Mr. Sannikaw was second behind Mr. Lukashenka with 2.43 percent of the vote.