Â鶹´«Ã½

World

    • Belarus opposition urges immediate release of over 200 political prisoners in dire state

    Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, center, holds a portrait of her jailed husband, Siarhei Tsikhanouski, at a protest outside the Belarus Embassy, in Vilnius, Lithuania, on March 8, 2024, demanding freedom for political prisoners. (AP Photo/Mindaugas Kulbis, File) Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, center, holds a portrait of her jailed husband, Siarhei Tsikhanouski, at a protest outside the Belarus Embassy, in Vilnius, Lithuania, on March 8, 2024, demanding freedom for political prisoners. (AP Photo/Mindaugas Kulbis, File)
    Share
    TALLINN, Estonia -

    Belarusian opposition leader in exile Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya on Thursday said 224 political prisoners in Belarus must be freed urgently, and called on Western countries to negotiate their release with the Belarusian authorities.

    Belarus' authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko in 2020 unleashed a brutal crackdown on dissent in response to mass protests that broke out after an election that handed him his sixth term in office and was denounced by the opposition and the West as rigged.

    More than 65,000 people have been detained since then as repressions continued unabated, according to the Viasna human rights group. The group has designated over 1,300 currently behind bars as political prisoners.

    Tsikhanouskaya, who ran against Lukashenko in 2020 and was forced to leave the country shortly after the vote, said Thursday that the opposition and human rights advocates identified 224 political prisoners who should be immediately released — “minors, the elderly, those with serious medical conditions or mothers of multiple children.â€

    “These people need to be released immediately and without conditions,†Tsikhanouskaya said in a statement.

    The list includes Viasna founder Ales Bialiatski, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2022, and opposition leader Maria Kolesnikova, whose health is rapidly deteriorating in prison, according to her family.

    Ales Bialiatski, the head of the Viasna human rights group, sits in a defendants' cage at a court session in Minsk, Belarus, on Jan. 5, 2023. (Vitaly Pivovarchyk/BelTA Pool Photo via AP, File)

    According to Tsikhanouskaya, 29 of those on the list are in critical condition and “are basically dying in prison.†She said six political prisoners have died behind bars since 2020.

    Lukashenko, who has run the country with an iron fist for 30 years and will seek re-election next year, denies that there are political prisoners in Belarus. At the same time, in recent months he has pardoned 115 people who suffered from medical conditions, applied for clemency and publicly repented.

    Tsikhanouskaya welcomed the pardons and said "these steps should continue. At the same time, hundreds (more) have been arrested and 142 more people have been designated as political prisoners.â€

    Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko speaks to schoolchildren at Independence Day celebrations in Minsk, Belarus, on July 3, 2020. (AP Photo, File)

    CTVNews.ca Top Stories

    A Manitoba man convicted of murder 50 years ago has been acquitted. Clarence Woodhouse was found guilty in 1974 of fatally beating and stabbing a restaurant worker in downtown Winnipeg.

    A health official has confirmed a child in Ontario has died after they came in contact with a rabid bat.

    More sexual assault charges have been filed against billionaire Frank Stronach with the Canadian businessman now facing a total of 18 charges.

    An Ontario family was planning a religious trip to Saudi Arabia that included 10 people, but when they were checking in for their flights, the family discovered some of their tickets were fake.

    Canada

    • More sexual assault charges have been filed against billionaire Frank Stronach with the Canadian businessman now facing a total of 18 charges.

    • The Supreme Court of Canada says it will hear a challenge from the Quebec government to a lower court ruling granting asylum seekers access to subsidized daycare spaces.

    • A Manitoba man convicted of murder 50 years ago has been acquitted. Clarence Woodhouse was found guilty in 1974 of fatally beating and stabbing a restaurant worker in downtown Winnipeg.

    World

    Politics

    Health

    Sci-Tech

    Entertainment

    • From the beaches of Cannes to the bustling streets of New York City, a new film by a trio of Manitoba directors has toured the international film festival circuit to much pomp and circumstance.

    Business

    Lifestyle

    • What does New Westminster's tÉ™mÉ™sewÌ“txÊ· Aquatic and Community Centre have in common with a historic 68,000-seat stadium in Beijing, an NFL stadium and the aquatics venue for the Paris Olympics? They've all been named among the world's most beautiful sports venues for 2024.

    Sports

    Autos

    • A Pickering, Ont., student going to college to be a mechanic is shocked the engine in his two-year-old car will not be repaired under warranty after the dealership claimed he had been 'over-revving' the engine.

    • Canadian-made Chrysler Grand Caravans have seen sales jump over the third quarter and calendar year. According to FCA Canada, sales were up by 79 per cent this quarter and up 85 per cent for the calendar-year to date.

    Local Spotlight

    The grave of a previously unknown Canadian soldier has been identified as a man from Hayfield, Man. who fought in the First World War.

    Moving into the second week of October, the eastern half of Canada can expect some brisker fall air to break down from the north

    What does New Westminster's təməsew̓txʷ Aquatic and Community Centre have in common with a historic 68,000-seat stadium in Beijing, an NFL stadium and the aquatics venue for the Paris Olympics? They've all been named among the world's most beautiful sports venues for 2024.

    The last living member of the legendary Vancouver Asahi baseball team, Kaye Kaminishi, died on Saturday, Sept. 28, surrounded by family. He was 102 years old.

    New data from Greater Vancouver and the Fraser Valley shows a surge in supply and drop in demand in the region's historically hot real estate market.

    On Saturday night at her parents’ home in Delaware, Ont. the Olympic bronze medallist in pole vault welcomed everyone who played a role in getting her to the podium in Paris.

    A tale about a taxicab hauling gold and sinking through the ice on Larder Lake, Ont., in December 1937 has captivated a man from that town for decades.

    When a group of B.C. filmmakers set out on a small fishing boat near Powell River last week, they hoped to capture some video for a documentary on humpback whales. What happened next blew their minds.

    A pizza chain in Edmonton claims to have the world's largest deliverable pizza.

    • A 27-year-old woman was arrested Thursday in connection with an overnight homicide in Vancouver.

    • The B.C. New Democrats have unveiled their full campaign platform with plenty of election goodies in the 64-page document.

    • Mounties in the Okanagan are investigating a fatal collision that closed a major highway Thursday morning.

    • A Toronto police officer convicted of stealing from deceased individuals he was supposed to be investigating has been sentenced to seven years in prison.

    • The Ontario government has released the terms of its 95-year lease with European company Therme for the spa and waterpark it plans to build at Ontario Place, and it shows the province has promised 1,600 parking spaces for the private facility.

    • More sexual assault charges have been filed against billionaire Frank Stronach with the Canadian businessman now facing a total of 18 charges.

    • Police discovered an elaborate underground encampment in southeast Calgary earlier this month.

    • Alberta's nurses could soon find themselves on the picket line as recent talks with the provincial government failed to secure a new agreement.

    • A park in Calgary's Beltline has reopened after undergoing a redesign.

    • BREAKING

      BREAKING

      Transit Services General Manager Renée Amilcar says the 21-day trial running period for the north-south Trillium Line LRT will begin Oct. 7, meaning the line could open to the public as soon as mid-November.

    • A 37-year-old Ottawa business owner is facing charges after a woman was allegedly sexually assaulted while applying for a job, according to police.

    • Days after Hurricane Helene caused widespread destruction across multiple U.S. states, former Ottawa television host Cyndi Edwards was finally able to survey the damage at one of her Florida rental units.

    • NHL hockey is back in Quebec City this week, but the Los Angeles Kings aren't the team that fans of the long-departed Quebec Nordiques have longed to see.

    • A new study out of Montreal's Concordia University found that, if policies and trends remain unchanged, a two-bedroom in Montreal will cost $4,325 per month, a similar unit in Toronto will cost $5,600 and one in Vancouver will be around $7,750 within eight years.

    • The Supreme Court of Canada says it will hear a challenge from the Quebec government to a lower court ruling granting asylum seekers access to subsidized daycare spaces.

    • Police started searching a rural property north of Edmonton on Wednesday as part of an investigation into a suspected drug manufacturing lab.

    • The province says it is launching a rural health action plan to improve health care in rural and remote communities.

    • Alberta's nurses could soon find themselves on the picket line as recent talks with the provincial government failed to secure a new agreement.

    • Federal fisheries officers in Nova Scotia say they're refusing some enforcement duties because of threats to their safety, as they await Ottawa's response to their complaints.

    • A 17-year-old boy has been charged with manslaughter in the death of a man who was assaulted in Fredericton last month.

    • A 75-year-old woman has died after she was struck by a tour bus in Charlottetown Thursday morning.

    • A Manitoba man convicted of murder 50 years ago has been acquitted. Clarence Woodhouse was found guilty in 1974 of fatally beating and stabbing a restaurant worker in downtown Winnipeg.

    • The River East Transcona School Division has filed a lawsuit against the City of Winnipeg regarding a fire at one of its schools in March 2022.

    • Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew continues to enjoy a honeymoon with voters one year after his NDP government was elected, but there are challenges ahead in fulfilling promises to improve health care and balance the budget.

    • Hundreds of Saskatchewan nurses and their supporters rallied outside the legislative building on Thursday calling for action to ongoing staffing shortages and hospital overcrowding around the province.

    • As it stands right now, Saskatchewan Roughriders defensive back Rolan Milligan Jr. has the fourth best odds to win the league’s Most Outstanding Player [MOP] award.

    • A Regina woman has pleaded guilty to one count of fraud after being charged with defrauding Regina Mobile Crisis Services.

    • A health official has confirmed a child in Ontario has died after they came in contact with a rabid bat.

    • An Olympian and retired competitive boxer have been named as the official Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest keg tappers.

    • A 32-year-old has serious injuries after he was stabbed by another man in Waterloo on Wednesday night.

    • A home in Saskatoon’s Haultain neighbourhood has been left devastated following a fire early Wednesday morning.

    • A Saskatoon photographer is hoping to make some love connections through a unique blind dating. The idea came out of a need to help singles get offline and back to real in-person connections.

    • Hundreds of Saskatchewan nurses and their supporters rallied outside the legislative building on Thursday calling for action to ongoing staffing shortages and hospital overcrowding around the province.

    • A health official has confirmed a child in Ontario has died after they came in contact with a rabid bat.

    • A 41-year-old from Elliot Lake is facing even more charges after behaving very badly after being arrested on outstanding warrants.

    • A 33-year-old man has been arrested after two females were found dead inside a home in Courtice, Ont. on Tuesday afternoon.

    • A busy homecoming weekend for London Police Service – with many large parties throughout the area around Western University.

    • VIDEO

      VIDEO

      At 3:00 a.m. on Thursday, a person was seen throwing what appears to be a Molotov cocktail underneath a vehicle parked outside a residence in Sarnia.

    • Investigators say the scam is instigated by a suspect approaching the victim, asking for their help to pay a taxi fare.

    • A Barrie man faces multiple charges after being arrested in connection with a string of break-ins at local businesses earlier this week.

    • Ten Georgian College students received Canada's largest skilled trades scholarship to help cover tuition, tools and living expenses.

    • Closing submissions are underway on Thursday in the case of a Barrie man on trial for the death of a young mother 30 years ago.

    • The Windsor Police Service (WPS) has issued an arrest warrant for a suspect in a break-and-enter investigation following the arrest of two others.

    • A multi-vehicle collision on the Ouellette Avenue overpass impacted morning commuters heading to downtown Windsor on Thursday morning.

    • New research from GreenShield shows one in three Canadians would quit their job for better mental health benefits.

    • The B.C. New Democrats have unveiled their full campaign platform with plenty of election goodies in the 64-page document.

    • A 27-year-old woman was arrested Thursday in connection with an overnight homicide in Vancouver.

    • She loves to swear, likes pinball and was a track star in high school. She’s also the only British Columbia party leader who’s been through an election in that role before. Meet the BC Green Leader Sonia Furstenau.

    • Three young suspects have been arrested in connection with a swarming attack on a teenager in B.C.'s Okanagan last week – and authorities have asked the public to stop circulating disturbing videos of the incident.

    • A father in Kelowna is furious after his 13-year-old daughter was brutally beaten on Gyro Beach. He is calling for criminal charges in the devastating attack, which was caught on video by multiple bystanders.

    • The officer who shot and killed a forcible confinement suspect in Kamloops two years ago was justified in doing so, according to the Independent Investigations Office of B.C.

    • It’s almost deadline day for Lethbridge residents interested in becoming members of one of the city’s boards, commissions and committees (BCCs).

    • Hearings on a proposed coal project in Alberta's Crowsnest Pass will go ahead despite legal challenges.

    • A Lethbridge man is facing several charges after a traffic stop led to the seizure of drugs and weapons.

    • After receiving complaints about off-road vehicles, police in Greater Sudbury laid more than a dozen charges in a recent safety blitz.

    • Aiming to bolster public trust and accountability – and help with investigations -- police in Sault Ste. Marie have equipped their vehicles with cameras.

    • Closing arguments have begun in the sexual assault trial of Canadian musician Jacob Hoggard.

    N.L.

    Shopping Trends

    The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at Â鶹´«Ã½. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop. Read about us.

    Stay Connected
    Follow Â鶹´«Ã½