Court increases term for political prisoner Dzmitry Kubarau

The Zavodski District Court of Minsk handed down a verdict in a new trial against political prisoner Dzmitry Kubarau, who was earlier sentenced to seven years in a medium-security penal colony on charges of “organizing mass riots” (Part 1 of Article 293 of the Criminal Code).

Judge Zhanna Khvainitskaya sentenced Kubarau to 3 years in prison for “illegal actions with objects whose damaging effect is based on the use of combustible substances” (Article 295-3 of the Criminal Code), namely for storing in his apartment flammable fluid, which the prosecution said he intended to use in order to make Molotov cocktails. The aggregate sentence for the political prisoner is 8 years in a penal colony.

Dzmitry Kubarau refused to testify in court.

Political prisoner Dzmitry Kubarau sentenced to 7 years on ‘rioting’ charges

According to the indictment, from August 9 to 12, 2020, Dzmitry Kubarau called to join “riots”. He also allegedly organized the riots and participated in them. In addition, he reportedly intended to make a Molotov cocktail.

Kubarau was detained on August 11, 2020 and then taken to the KGB pre-trial prison. The same night, he signed a written confession. His apartment was searched and security forces seized a megaphone, medicines, water, IT equipment (phone and laptop) and canisters with solvent. After seven months in pre-trial detention, he was sentenced to 7 years in prison. Kubarau pleaded not guilty. In mid-September, the court ruled to collect 45,181 rubles and 42 kopecks from the political prisoner in favor of Minsktrans, the government-owned city transport operator. According to Minsktrans’s lawyers, Kubarau’s actions caused the disruption of 107 bus routes.