Introduction to Anatol Kotau’s Disappearance
It is believed that Anatol Kotau, a Belarusian sports officer, has traveled to Sochi in Russia. Kotau, the former Secretary General of the Belarusian Olympic Committee, was recently heard from on August 21st, shortly after his arrival in Istanbul, the largest city in Turkey. While his wife and colleagues feared that he had been kidnapped, reports in the Turkish media claimed that Kotau had flown to Trabzon on Turkey’s Black Sea Coast on the same day he landed in Istanbul.
Travel to Sochi
DW has now discovered that Kotau left Turkey for Sochi, a southwestern Russian port city, on a private yacht that was waiting for him when he arrived in Trabzon. A Turkish police source in Trabzon said there were "no problems" with Kotau and the people who accompanied him, and that "nothing seemed wrong" with his travel documents.
Investigation into Disappearance
Previously, the Turkish police said they had no records of Kotau’s disappearance in their systems, although his wife submitted a suspicious report on August 25. Kotau’s missing person report describes telephone messages between him and his wife on the day of his disappearance on August 21. At 12:26 p.m. Polish time, Kotau wrote that he had arrived at Istanbul Airport. His wife then asked him where he was staying. Almost two hours later, he replied: "I will send it if I know." His last contact was at 9:28 p.m., but a hotel address was never sent.
Background on Kotau
Kotau is one of the founding members of the Belarusian Sport Solidarity Foundation (BSSF), which was founded in 2020 to support Belarusian athletes who oppose the country’s authoritarian leader, Alexander Lukashenko. The BSSF director, Alexander Opeikin, told DW that Kotau was "used to" being followed before his trip to Istanbul, which was due to the last two to three days. "There were no signals about depression or a crisis in his life," said Opeikin.
Kotau’s Involvement in Opposition Groups
As part of their work, Kotau and the BSSF also successfully urged that Belarus be barred from international sports competitions, in particular the IIHF ice hockey World Championship 2021. Hockey is Lukashenko’s favorite sport. The political activism of the 45-year-old Kotau had him sentenced to 12 years in prison in July 2024 because he condemned charges such as "Conspiracy to supplement the power" and "Promotion of extremist activities".
Concerns for Kotau’s Safety
Pavel Latushka, a prominent Belarusian opposition politician, told DW that Kotau was "responsible for strong actions against Lukashenko’s regime". "He was a high-ranking civil servant, [so] in Lukashenko’s eyes, he has to look like a traitor. The regime has an open, systemic, large-scale war without restrictions against democratic institutions and democratic activists abroad. Lukashenko’s hands are already everywhere. It doesn’t matter where the Belarusians are. He even pursues them abroad."
BSSF Statement on Kotau’s Disappearance
In contributions on social media, the BSSF said that Kotau had traveled "in professional matters" to Istanbul, although it was not related to the BSSF and his daily job at a Polish event agency. Opeikin said he didn’t know who Kotau wanted to meet in Turkey. "I’m really worried," said Opeikin. "We are very narrow. He is a great defender of the rights of the athletes and a real political personality of the Belarusian political stage."
Kotau’s Wanted Status
According to the BSSF, Kotau is on the wanted lists in both Belarus and Russia, which has risen due to Lukashenko’s support for his war in Ukraine. The organization wrote that this raises "serious concerns about his security and potential political persecution". However, recent developments also increase the possibility that Kotau may have left Turkey voluntarily or under some kind of coercion.
Risks for Belarusian Exiles
Like many Belarusian exiles, Kotau lived with his wife and little son in the Polish capital Warsaw, where he has refugee status. The risks for Belarusian dissidents and activists are recently highlighted in a KGB propaganda video. It shows a man who is led along the steps of an aircraft, where he is handed over to two masked KGB agents. A voice-over warns that this should serve as an example for others.
Conclusion
The Polish consulate in Istanbul transferred a query from DW to the Polish Foreign Ministry, in which the matter was known, but "unfortunately, the media cannot be provided with any additional information". The case of Anatol Kotau’s disappearance highlights the dangers faced by Belarusian exiles and opposition activists. As Opeikin said, "It is really dangerous for political activists who go to these countries. I think he knew this risk, but he was often in Turkey. This time something happened and we don’t know what."
