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Opposition activist Shatsikava forced into car in downtown Mahilyow, driven in unknown direction

The whereabouts of Krystsina Shatsikava was not known on Friday evening after the opposition activist was forced into what appeared to be a Russian-made off-road vehicle in downtown Mahilyow and driven in unknown direction at around 4:30 p.m., the woman's friend told BelaPAN.

According to Iryna Kacharova, she and Ms. Shatsikava arranged to meet near the Passat cafeteria on Leninskaya Street. "I was standing near the cafe and saw Krystsina walking toward me from the side of the teacher training institute," she said. "As she approached a crosswalk, a dark car looking very much like a Niva drove close to her. Everything happened very quickly, a door slapped and Krystsina simply disappeared."

Ms. Kacharova said that she had not seen the car's license plate number.

The woman reported the incident to the Leninski district police department. "Police said there was another eyewitness - a man who was standing on the crosswalk near Krystsina and saw her being kidnapped," Ms. Kacharova noted.

Ms. Shatsikava's cell phone was turned off on Friday evening.

Ms. Shatsikava, a prominent opposition activist known for her active participation in last spring's three-day protest vigil against Alyaksandr Lukashenka's reelection as president, was arrested in Minsk on March 22. She was taken to Mahilyow, where she lives, questioned in connection with a case against Malady Front leaders and released on the same day. The woman was interrogated in the city's KGB office on Friday afternoon.

The activist repeatedly said that she would participate in an opposition demonstration in central Minsk on March 25.