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Member of Babariko’s election team released after detention, says press service

Staff members said that she had been mistaken, press service added

MINSK, August 9. /TASS/. Belarusian law enforcement authorities have released Maria Kolesnikova, a member of the election team of Belgazprombank’s former head Viktor Babariko, who was detained in Minsk earlier, the team’s press service reported late on Saturday.

"Maria has been released. Staff members said that she had been mistaken," press service said.

Earlier reports said that Belarusian law enforcers detained Kolesnikova when she was leaving the headquarters in Minsk as she got into the car with her colleagues. The car was blocked by a police minibus. Maria was forced into the bus and taken away.

Head of Viktor Babariko’s election team Maria Kolesnikova continues the election campaign after the candidate was denied registration.

Belarus will hold presidential elections on August 9. By now, the presidential candidates are incumbent head of state Alexander Lukashenko, co-leader of the Govori Pravdu (Tell the Truth) public movement Andrei Dmitriyev, former member of the lower parliament house Anna Kanopatskaya, housewife Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, and leader of the Belarusian Social Democratic Gramada Sergei Cherchen.

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