Six political prisoners are on trial under "Tsikhanouski's case"
Trial under "Tsikhanouski's case", 24 June 2021, Homieĺ
On 24 June, the trial of political prisoners Siarhei Tsikhanouski, Ihar Losik, Mikola Statkevich, Uladzimir Tsyhanovich, Artsiom Sakau and Dzmitry Papou started in Homieĺ. This is a key trial in the "Tsikhanouski's case". The process is closed and takes place inside the pre-trial detention center, but the state propagandists are present there. Lawyers of political prisoners signed a pledge of secrecy, so they cannot share any information about the case or the trial. It is not yet known who is the judge at the trial. The defenders are accused of organizing "mass riots" in Belarus during the preparation and holding of the 2020 presidential elections. All of them were detained before the election.
"Conspired to insite 'mass riots' in the country." What are the actual accusations?
Politician Statkevich, politician and blogger Tsikhanouski, blogger Tsyhanovich, administrator of the Telegram channel Losik, member of the initiative group for the presidential nomination of Sviatlana Tsikhanuvskaya Sakau, social media manager in Tsikhanouski's project Papou are accused under one criminal case.
According to the prosecution, in 2019, the defendants conspired to stage "mass riots" in the country and created a blogger "network" for this purpose, through which they incited hatred and called for violence against security forces and officials. Tsikhanouski personally traveled to cities and "recruited" people and used his "Country for Life" social media channels for that.
Siarhei Tsikhanouski, Artsiom Sakau, and Dzmitry Papou are charged under four articles of the Criminal Code:
- Art. 293.1 (organization of mass riots);
- Art. 130.3 (incitement of social hatred);
- Art. 191.2 (obstruction of the CEC work);
- Art. 342.1 (organization of activities that grossly violate public order).
Ihar Losik and Uladzimir Tsyhanovich are charged with
- Art. 293.1 (organization of mass riots);
- Art. 130.3 (incitement of social hatred);
Mikalai Statkevich is charged under Art. 293.1 (organization of mass riots);
The General Prosecutor's Office filed a suit against the defendants in the amount of 3,078 million rubles ($1,2 million).
