Belarus will prevent most of its citizens from leaving as crackdowns on President Lukashenko's political opponents continue

• Belarus is preventing most citizens from traveling out of the country, the BBC reported.
• The country's State Border Committee announced the travel ban on Telegram.
• It comes amid a crackdown against critics of President Alexander Lukashenko.

Belarus is temporarily preventing most of its citizens from leaving the country amid crackdowns against critics of President Alexander Lukashenko.

In a statement on Telegram seen by the BBC, the State Border Committee said only some government workers and citizens with permanent residency in other countries will be allowed to leave.

The agency blamed the COVID-19 for the travel ban, but it comes weeks after 26-year old journalist Roman Protasevich, a staunch critic of Lukashenko's, was arrested when his Ryanair flight was diverted. Several other critics have also been detained BBC reported.