In Belarus, opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya was sentenced to 15 years in prison

Author:
Anhelina Sheremet
Date:

The Minsk City Court sentenced the leader of the Belarusian opposition, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, to 15 years in prison in absentia.

This was reported by the local publication BelTA.

Another oppositionist, Paval Latushko, was sentenced to 18 years in prison. They were found guilty:

  • in a conspiracy to seize state power in an unconstitutional way;
  • creating an extremist formation and leading such formations;
  • public calls to seize state power and take other actions aimed at harming the national security of Belarus;
  • intentional actions aimed at awakening other social enmity and enmity based on a different social affiliation.

This refers to protests against the falsification of the results of the 2020 presidential election. Tsikhanouskaya and Latushko are currently hiding from the Belarusian authorities in Lithuania.