The Belarusian court found Nobel laureate Ales Byalyatsky guilty of smuggling and sentenced him to 10 years in prison.
Other defendants in the case, members of the Viasna human rights center, Vladimir Lobkovich and Valentin Stefanovich, received sentences of 7 and 9 years. Also, Dmitry Solovyov, who left Belarus, received 8 years in prison. He was convicted in absentia.
None of the defendants in the case pleaded guilty under any of the articles of the Criminal Code under which they are accused (smuggling, "financing protests" and organizing and preparing actions that grossly violate public order).
Ales Byalyatsky, Valentyn Stefanovich and Vladimir Labkovich were detained in July 2021.
Since the protests in Belarus in 2020, Viasna human rights activists have documented cases of torture and other human rights violations, and helped pay fines, lawyers and food bills. Later, the Belarusian court recognizes precisely this activity as the preparation of citizens for violating public order.