MINSK (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 16th August, 2020) Russian citizen Artyom Vazhenkov, a member of Open Russia rights advocacy group, was freed in Belarus on Saturday, its president has told Sputnik.
"Artyom Vazhenkov has been freed from custody in Minsk. He is leaving the investigative committee's building at this very moment alongside a member of the Russian embassy in Belarus and Pravozashchita Otkrytki lawyer Anton Gashinsky," Anastasia Burakova said.
Open Russia confirmed this week that two of its members, Vazhenkov and Igor Rogov had been detained during post-vote protests in Minsk. Rogov was later released, while Vazhenkov was charged with inciting riots and faced up to eight years in prison.
The lawyer, Anton Gashinsky, told Sputnik that Vazhenkov would return to Russia in the coming hours. He said the activist remained a suspect in Belarus.
