Evan Neumann, a Capitol rioter who fled the U.S. has been granted refugee status in Belarus, CNN reports. Neumann fled to Ukraine after being charged in connection with his activities on January 6, 2021, but said that he walked across the border to Belarus because he believed Ukrainian authorities were following him. Belarusian state-owned television BeITA said Neumann left the U.S. because of "politically motivated charges."
The TV outlet posted photos of Neumann with a government official, shaking hands and holding his new travel documents. Neumann was indicted by a U.S. federal grand jury in December and he faces 14 charges, including assaulting a police officer and engaging in physical violence on Capitol grounds. He is accused of punching two officers and using a metal barricade as a "battering ram" against officers. Neumann does not have a lawyer, and is listed as a fugitive in federal court.