Belarus Feature: Crackdown on Dissent Continues (Schwirtz)

As Belarussian diplomats scrambled on Wednesday to assuage European concerns about the sweeping crackdown on dissent in their country, the authorities in Belarus were stepping up their campaign against the family of a former presidential candidate whose three-year-old son they have threatened to seize.

The security services conducted a search of the home of the former candidate, Andrei Sannikov, as well as the apartment of his wife’s mother, who has been caring for the child, Danil.

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Belarus Updates: Head of Air Force Arrested

1820 GMT: A second court hearing will be held on Monday for 11 Russian nationals among the more than 600 people detained after Sunday's protest in Minsk over the Belarussian Presidential election.

Many of those who took part in the protests have been sentenced to up to 15 days in prison. Russia has requested that its nationals be released.

On Wednesday, Belarusian authorities released press photographer Alexander Astafyev of St. Petersburg.

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