Minsk City Court refused to change restraint to presidential candidate Uladzimir Niakliayeu

The Minsk City Court turned down the cassation appeal by Uladzimir Bukshtynau, the lawyer of the presidential candidate Uladzimir Niakliayeu, against a ruling of the Tsentralny District Court of Minsk to further keep Mr. Niakliayeu in custody.

Bear in mind that on 6 January the Tsentralny District Court dismissed Bukshtynau’s appeal concerning changing the measure of restraint to his client. According to the lawyer, the decision was motivated by the fact that his client was accused of committing an especially grave crime.

As Uladzimir Bukshtynau said, the Minsk City Court upheld the decision of the Tsentralny District Court. ‘The motivation was the same: Mr. Niakliayeu is charged with committing an especially grave crime, so it’s impossible to change measure of restraint for him from keeping in custody to release on his own recognizance,’ the lawyer said.