Belarus opposition leader Maria Kolesnikova 'snatched from street' in Minsk

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>Kolesnikova’s press aide, Rodnenkov, confirmed her abduction but vanished himself around 40 minutes later

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>Her coordination council colleagues who have disappeared include Anton Rodnenkov, Ivan Kravtsov and Maxim Bogretsov. Her press team is also missing.

The things being done to these people in detention are horrible. We just translated an article about a 16-year-old boy beaten into a coma. When he awoke he said he was one of the lucky ones. ( https://www.voiceofbelarus.com/how-to-save-timur/ )

From consistently talking to multiple opposition members, here is my take on the current mindset:

Every single protester on the street is aware that the police are waiting for them to do anything that gives an excuse. Foreigners don't always understand the dictatorships use a two-pronged approach, one part being heavy-handed violence and the other being heavy-handed propaganda. Like it or not, there's always a percentage of the population that buys into the propaganda, either by being stupid or by being centrist.

The protesters are very intentionally being careful to not give any excuse. That's why you see 70-year-old grandmothers walking in the streets wearing pure white, they want the evidence to be obvious when the police shove down and beat grandmother's bloody. They also want it to be impossible for the state to spin them as violent criminals

In short, these people are brave as f*

Many do suspect this will end in all out violence, but everyone knows that would give Russia an internationally acceptable excuse to join the party. The current thinking is Lukashenko may make a mistake (it is widely reported internally that he is on heavy medication and typically takes an entire month away from office following the election period, which has been impossible with the constant mass protests). His family has begun to leave the country, excluding his young son who he takes with him everywhere.

The people are being careful to say, at least for the time being, they do not want him dead, they only do not want him in the country. They're trying to give him every opportunity to flee and leave them to repair their own country

If you want to help, the biggest thing you can do is continue to give them international recognition. Share it on social platforms. After the first wave of violence, the international outcry caused Lukashenko to order the police to temporarily stop the beatings. The protests have continues to grow, and the violence has started again (as we all know, dictators have a really small playbook of possible control tactics). International outrage is more effective than you might realize.

EDIT: For those unaware, IT has grown significantly in Belarus. It's debated why this is the case (e.g. perhaps the dictatorship just does not know how to extract value from a company where seizing assets just leaves you with an empty shell of a previously valuable company), but regardless multiple Belarusians are entering the world stage with a reputation for being competent/capable/innovative with technology. It's been a interesting emergence of a new skilled class. Right now, Lukashenko is squishing that with his actions. Shutting of the internet is one example. Another example is retaliation, such as what is being done to PandaDoc (a Silicon Valley-based company). Their founders are Belarusian. After a statement by the founders, the state retaliated by raiding their Minsk offices and arresting employees. For more info, see https://savepandadoc.org/en/

The way I see it there is no real opposition leaders, because they are in jail. This women triumvirate, whom were not leaders themselves was probably surprised themselves amount of support they got.

There seemingly is no plan by the opposition, other than hope that the regime turns on the Lukashenko. When that happens and there is no organized opposition, the regime just grows a new head. Which I guess would be a some sort of success.

Democracy (and the values it embodies like freedom of speech and assembly) is an agreement among the elite. If there is no agreement among the elite then democratic values has little chance surviving.

Is Svyaz some business or government agency?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belarus_High_Technologies_Park