By MINSK. Nov 30 (Interfax) – Unconfirmed reports indicate that Belarusian opposition activist Maria Kolesnikova, who is serving her sentence in a Gomel penitentiary, was admitted to hospital suffering from a perforated ulcer, and she is currently in serious condition after undergoing surgery, the press service for unregistered Belarusian presidential candidate Viktor Babariko said on Wednesday.
"The surgery went well. It was successful, but Maria is still in serious condition. Doctors have said that she is conscious and is receiving all necessary medical care and medications. They are not disclosing her diagnosis even to her father: a statement or a written note is allegedly needed that Maria permits that. According to unconfirmed information, Maria is suffering from a perforated ulcer," the press service said.
Lawyers have not been allowed to visit Kolesnikova since November 17, it said.
As reported, Kolesnikova was admitted to an emergency care hospital in Gomel, where she underwent surgery on November 28.
Kolesnikova headed Viktor Babariko’s campaign staff during the 2020 presidential election campaign in Belarus. Following Babariko’s arrest, she became a representative of Belarusian presidential candidate Svetlana Tikhanovskaya’s campaign staff. Kolesnikova also became one of the leaders of the mass opposition protests against the outcome of the August 9, 2020 presidential elections won by Alexander Lukashenko, who has been in office since 1994. She was detained on September 8, 2020 and was subsequently sentenced to 11 years in prison.
