Due to sanctions, Maria Kalesnikava cannot unblock her German account
«And I can't do anything about it yet».
Maria Kalesnikava. Photo: LookByMedia
German bank Commerzbank blocked the account of former political prisoner Maria Kalesnikava while she was in a penal colony. The reason is sanctions against Belarus. Kalesnikava spoke about this on the German TV channel ARD, writes «Mediazona».
«Quite a funny story. I had an account with Commerzbank for 17 years. When I was in the penal colony, naturally, I couldn't manage it. And at some point, it was blocked. Now my account is blocked, and I don't have access to it due to sanctions against Belarus. I am also from Belarus, and this affects me too, even though I am now in Germany with my [blocked] account, which was opened 17 years ago. And I can't do anything about it yet,» she said.
Kalesnikava also added that the sanctions do not affect Alexander Lukashenka: «He has his own plane, and he simply goes wherever he wants outside the EU, and this affects ordinary people,» Kalesnikava added.
In 2021, Maria was sentenced to 11 years in a penal colony under articles concerning conspiracy to seize power (Article 357 of the Criminal Code), calls for actions against national security (Article 361 of the Criminal Code), and creation of an «extremist» formation (Article 361-1 of the Criminal Code). She was released by pardon along with a group of other political prisoners in December 2025 and is now in Germany.
Comments
Было толькі тэкставае інтэрв'ю з Золатавай (таксама былая палітзняволенная), дзе можна было дамовіцца, што не публікаваць
Можа баіцца, што там такія пытанні будуць з якіх прыгожа не саскочыш? Ці яны з Бабарыкай наўмысны вырашылі ад "экстрэмістаў" абмежавацца?