Maxim Znak

Maxim Znak (Belarusian: Максім Аляксандравіч Знак, born 4 September 1981[1]) is a Belarusian lawyer and politician, who is a member of the presidium of the Coordination Council formed during the 2020–21 Belarusian protests in opposition to the rule of Alexander Lukashenko. Following the exit of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, Znak along with fellow opposition leader Maria Kolesnikova actively participated in the demonstrations and protests against the Lukashenko government.

Maxim Znak, Olga Kovalkova, and Maria Kolesnikova during the first press conference of the Coordination Council of Belarus

In this Eastern Slavic name, the patronymic is Maxim and the family name is Znak.
Maxim Znak
Максім Аляксандравіч Знак
Born (1981-09-04) 4 September 1981
Minsk, Belarus
Disappeared9 September 2020 (2020-09-09)
NationalityBelarusian
Alma materBelarusian State University
Occupationpolitician, lawyer
Websitewww.borovtsovsalei.com/ru/team/maksim-znak

Childhood and education

Znak obtained his PhD in Law from the Belarusian State University.

Znak provided legal support for presidential candidate Viktor Babaryko, who was jailed in June 2020 during the Lukashenko 26-year presidency of Belarus, prior to the 2020 Belarusian presidential election.[2] Babaryka had intended to contest the 2020 Belarus election before being rejected by election officials.

Coordination Council and detention
Main article: Coordination Council (Belarus)

Znak is one of the members of the presidium of the Coordination Council of Belarus that aims to help coordinate a transition to democracy in Belarus.[2]

On 9 September 2020, he was abducted and detained by a gang of masked men wearing plain clothes.[2][3] Prior to his detention, he was widely regarded as the last active member of the Coordination Council.[4] He was detained by supporters of Lukashenko just two days after the forced deportation of his colleague and the former opposition leader Maria Kolesnikova.[5] On 9 September, Znak had planned to attend a video press conference with Babaryko. He was kidnapped by masked men and did not attend the press conference.[6] Znak's colleagues stated that he was detained in Minsk and that he had texted the word "masks" to them after his abduction.[7] As of 9 September 2020, the Coordination Council had been unable to contact Maxim Znak following his detention.[8]

On 9 November, 2020 Znak's attorneys announced that his detention had been extended to 9 January, 2021[9]

As of 21 January, 2021, he remains in SIZO No. 1 in Minsk.[10]

See also

References
  1. "Maxim Znak | VK". m.vk.com. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  2. "Maxim Znak: 'Masked men' seize opposition figure in Belarus". BBC News. 9 September 2020. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  3. "Another Belarus opposition figure detained by 'masked men'". www.aljazeera.com. Archived from the original on 9 September 2020. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  4. Kyiv, Associated Press in (9 September 2020). "Belarus opposition figure Maxim Znak taken from office by masked men". the Guardian. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  5. "Another Belarus opposition politician, Maxim Znak, is seized by masked men". WION. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  6. "Belarus opposition lawyer, Maxim Znak, detained by masked men". Deccan Herald. 9 September 2020. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  7. Welle (www.dw.com), Deutsche. "'Masked men' seize another Belarus opposition figure in Minsk | DW | 09.09.2020". DW.COM. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  8. "Another Belarus opposition politician is taken away by masked men". CNBC. 9 September 2020. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  9. https://news.tut.by/economics/707110.html
  10. "Письма из «таких мест». Юрист Максим Знак: «Там в прекрасном далеко просто должно быть хорошо»" (in Russian). Brestskaya Gazeta. 29 January 2021. Archived from the original on 30 January 2021. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
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