Introduction to Anatol Kotau’s Disappearance
Anatol Kotau, a former Secretary General of the Belarusian Olympic Committee, was recently heard from on August 21st, shortly after his arrival in Istanbul, Turkey. His wife and colleagues feared that he had been kidnapped, but reports in the Turkish media claimed that Kotau had flown to Trabzon on the same day he landed in Istanbul.
Travel to Sochi
It has been 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 stated that there were "no problems" with Kotau and the people who accompanied him, and that "nothing seemed wrong" with his travel documents.
Investigation and Missing Person Report
The Turkish police initially said that they had no records of Kotau’s disappearance in their systems, although his wife submitted a missing person report on August 25. The report describes telephone messages between Kotau and his wife in Poland on the day of his disappearance, where he wrote that he had arrived at Istanbul Airport, but never sent a hotel address.
Kotau’s Background and Activism
Kotau is one of the founding members of the Belarusian Sport Solidarity Foundation (BSSF), which was established in 2020 to support Belarusian athletes who oppose the country’s authoritarian leader, Alexander Lukashenko. He was actively involved in Belarusian opposition groups and had been sentenced to 12 years in prison in July 2024 for charges such as "Conspiracy to seize power" and "Promotion of extremist activities".
Concerns for Kotau’s Safety
The BSSF director, Alexander Opeikin, expressed concerns for Kotau’s safety, stating that he was "used to" before his trip to Istanbul, but there were no signs of depression or crisis in his life. Opeikin also mentioned that Kotau was on the wanted lists in both Belarus and Russia, which raises serious concerns about his security and potential political persecution.
Possible Coercion or Voluntary Departure
Recent developments suggest that Kotau may have left Turkey voluntarily or under some kind of coercion. The Belarusian secret service, the KGB, had attempted to recruit several opposition figures with money or blackmail last month. Kotau’s fate remains unknown, but the risks for Belarusian dissidents and activists are high, as evident from a KGB propaganda video that shows a man being handed over to masked KGB agents.
Conclusion
The disappearance of Anatol Kotau has raised concerns about the safety of Belarusian opposition activists and the reach of the Belarusian authorities. The BSSF and other organizations are calling for transparency and accountability in Kotau’s case, and the Polish Foreign Ministry has been informed of the matter. The risks for Kotau and other activists are real, and the international community must take notice of the situation and provide support to those who are fighting for democracy and human rights in Belarus.
