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Belarusian journalist Volha Klaskowski arrested near Stockholm for attempting to murder her ex-husband

Belarusian journalist Volha Klaskowski has been arrested near Stockholm on suspicion of attempting to murder her former husband, reported the Swedish tabloid Expressen.

According to the report, the 30-year-old Klaskowski was arrested in the city of Haninge on Saturday after she attacked her ex-husband, a citizen of Sweden, with a knife and stabbed him several times.

In late January, Swedish authorities rejected Ms. Klaskowski`s application for a residence permit and ordered the deportation of her and her 11-year-old daughter, Miraslava Naumovich. However, Sweden`s social services took away her son, nine months old now, because he holds both Swedish and Belarusian citizenships and handed him over to his father.

Ms. Klaskowski originally lost custody of the Swedish-born child but has already been given it back. She now shares custody of her son with his father.

Andrey Savinykh, spokesman for the Belarusian foreign ministry, confirmed to BelaPAN on Tuesday that Ms. Klaskowski had been arrested.

"We maintain contact with Swedish investigators," he said. "Volha Klaskowski will receive legal assistance if she needs it."

The Swedish police are looking for Miraslava Naumovich, a citizen of Belarus, Mr. Savinykh said. When her whereabouts are established, Belarusian authorities will ask Sweden to let the girl`s grandfather and grandmother look after her, he said.

On April 1, Volha Klaskowski`s mother told BelaPAN that she had not been able to contact her daughter for several days.

Ms. Klaskowski, who contributed to the pro-opposition newspaper Narodnaya Volya, was granted political asylum in Sweden a few years ago. She lost her status of refugee after returning to Belarus in 2011 to help the family of her brother Alyaksandr Klaskowski, a former policeman who was arrested during a December 2010 post-election street protest in Minsk and sent to prison for participation in "mass disorder."

The woman left Belarus in August 2011, one month before her brother was pardoned by Alyaksandr Lukashenka and released from prison.

Ms. Klaskowski married the Swede about a year ago and gave birth to their son in July 2012. However, she has been denied a Swedish residence permit twice. Her Schengen visa expired on February 28.