A Belarus government critic appeals to the Serbian president against his extradition

BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — A prominent Belarus filmmaker and a critic of Minsk’s authoritarian government has handed a letter to the Serbian presidency signed by hundreds of artists, appealing against his extradition to his home country where he says he could be tortured and killed. Andrei Hniot was arrested in Serbia last October on an international warrant on charges of tax evasion. Hniot insists the accusations have been fabricated and the real reason for the prosecution has been his criticism of President Alexander Lukashenko. He was first held in prison in Serbia before being put under house arrest. More than 780 artists signed the letter delivered Monday.