English

Lukashenka's ally Kanaplyow released after three days' detention, paper says

Uladzimir Kanaplyow, a long-time faithful ally of Alyaksandr Lukashenka who chaired the House of Representatives between 2004 and 2007, was released after three days' detention, according to media reports.

The 59-year-old man currently holds the positions of vice president of the National Olympic Committee (NOC) and chairman of the Belarusian Handball Federation.

The sports newspaper Pressbol reported on the morning of November 27 that Mr. Kanaplyow and Henadz Alyakseyenka, a former NOC vice president, had been taken into custody by the Committee for State Security (KGB). It was not known on Wednesday afternoon whether Mr. Alyakseyenka had been released.

When reached by BelaPAN, Ivan Semyanenya, deputy chairman of the Belarusian Handball Federation, said that Mr. Kanaplyow was expected to return to work on Wednesday.

"He phoned me several times in the morning, he will be at his workplace today," said Mr. Semyanenya, adding that he had no information about Mr. Kanaplyow's reported detention.

A KGB spokesperson declined to comment on the reports.