On June 10, Maskouski district court of Minsk passed the verdict in the case of four volunteers who were engaged in the activity of the election office of the currently imprisoned politician Viktar Babaryka, human rights centre Viasna reports.
Ihar Yarmolau, Dzmitry Kanapelka, Uladzislau Karetski and Mikalai Saseu were arrested and charged under Part 1 of Art. 13 and Part 2 of Art. 293 of the Criminal Code (‘preparation of mass riots’) and Part 3 of Art. 293 (‘training or other preparation of persons for participation in mass riots as well as financing or other material support of such activities’). The Belarusian human rights community recognised them as political prisoners.
None of them pleaded guilty. On Thursday, judge Svyatlana Bandarenka took heed of public prosecutor Raman Bizyuk‘s demand and sentenced the men to 5 years of imprisonment in a maximum security penal colony each.
