Vitaly Shishov, head of Belarusian exile group found dead in Kiev

Vitaly Shishov, the head of Belarusian House in Ukraine (BDU) was found dead on Tuesday, a day after he went missing, according to Ukraine's National Police.

Shishov, who used to help Belarusians flee abroad, "was found hanged today in one of Kiev's parks, not far from his place of residence," said police in a statement, reported CNN.

"Vitaly's mobile phone and personal belongings were removed from the scene," said the police.

Police have launched a criminal case into the suspected "premeditated murder" and will investigate all possibilities, including the possibility that it was "murder disguised as suicide," said the statement.

Police added they would question witnesses and analyze footage from security cameras, and asked those who knew Shishov to come forward with any relevant information on the last few weeks of his life and possible threats he faced, reported CNN.

Police said earlier on Monday that Shishov's partner had reported him missing after he went for a run and did not return.

Belarus has been in political and social turmoil since last year when a disputed election led to mass protests, then a violent crackdown by President Alexander Lukashenko that has been condemned by the international community

The discovery of Shishov's body comes as Belarus faces increasing international scrutiny after a Belarusian Olympic sprinter alleged that she was forcibly removed from the Tokyo Games and told to return home against her will, where she fears arrest.

Kristina Timanovskaya, the Belarusian Olympic sprinter, said representatives of the Belarus national team tried to forcibly send her back to her home country after she criticized national sporting authorities for entering her into the 4x400 meter relay in Tokyo without her consent.

Timanovskaya did not say exactly what she feared she would be jailed over, but Belarusian athletes have faced retaliation, been detained, and excluded from national teams for criticizing the government after last year's protests, reported CNN.

She has since received a humanitarian visa from Poland and will travel there in the coming days, according to Polish authorities. On Tuesday, the International Olympic Committee said it will launch a formal investigation into Timanovskaya's situation.

( With inputs from ANI )