U.S. envoy says Belarus shooting provides further evidence of rights abuses

KYIV (Reuters) – The United States on Wednesday condemned the death of a man in a shooting in Belarus, saying it provided further evidence of human rights abuses under President Alexander Lukashenko’s rule.

Special Envoy for Belarus, Julie Fisher, said the United States was seeking additional information on whether the victim in the shooting was a U.S. citizen. Belarusian security forces shot dead a 31-year-old man, identified by the pro-democracy opposition as an IT worker with U.S. company EPAM Systems, during a raid on Tuesday at an apartment block in the capital Minsk.

The Investigative Committee of Belarus, which investigates major crimes, said a 31-year-old man was “liquidated with return fire” after resisting law enforcement officers. Reuters could not independently verify the statements or footage of the incident that was aired on Belarusian state television.